Don't give Yamal Ballon d'Or - Ex-PSG coach knocks Barcelona teenager for one flaw

Former France international and one-time Paris Saint-Germain coach Alain Giresse has stated that Lamine Yamal should be ignored for this year's Ballon d'Or award.

Yamal, 18, is one of the frontrunners to inherit the coveted award currently held by Manchester City's midfielder Rodri. Should the Barcelona prodigy get his hands on the trophy, he would become the youngest winner since Ronaldo Nazario (aged 21 years at the time).

However, Alain Giresse has boldly told the organisers of the award to snub Yamal this time around because he believes there's a more deserving winner.

73-year-old Alain Giresse who has managed teams like Mali, Senegal, Tunisia and most recently Kosovo believes that his countryman Ousame Dembele is the deserved winner of the Ballon d'Or for 2025.

Dembele played a crucial role as PSG laid hands on the elusive UEFA Champions League trophy, contributing 8 goals and 6 assists in the competition and recording an incredible 35 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, as Luis Enrique's side won the treble.

He also starred at the expanded FIFA Club World Cup where PSG suffered a shocking loss 0-3 to Chelsea in the final.

In contrast, Yamal bagged 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 games for Hansi Flick’s side, and played a crucial role as Spain won Euro 2024, and then starred as La Roja got to the finals of the 2025 Nations League only to lose agonisingly on penalties to Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal. Yamal achieved all of these feats just before his 18th birthday.

Alain Giresse mentioned that although Yamal is a technical player, he still lacks top-notch performance especially at the highest level. This might point to the several chances the teenager spurned when Inter Milan eliminated Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg.

"Of course, there is Yamal, who exudes exceptional technical qualities. But, for me, he still lacks performance at the highest level. Dembele was above all a player who committed himself to the club and in the [Champions League] final showed his qualities with incredible pressing."

"This is an important factor but in the eyes of the public it does not have the same effect as a spectacular technical move. On the field, however, it has the same value. In my opinion, Dembele has the title that validates his season, a title that Yamal does not have," Giresse told Le Parisien (via 101 Great Goals).

Despite Giresse backing his fellow countryman Dembele to clinch the Ballon d'Or award, he was quick to point out where Yamal holds the advantage.

He said: "Messi won so many times because people were won over by his technique and spectacular moves rather than Ronaldo's phenomenal physical side. Like them, Lamine Yamal and Dembele don't have the same qualities in their games but I vote for Dembele. He is, for me, THE representative of a club that had an exceptional season. He made us forget that, until December, we had an unfinished taste when watching PSG games. He was the one who changed things."

However, Giresse maintained that his vote would be for Dembele because of the significant impact he's had on the PSG team.

"He was the one who triggered the rise of this team. In my opinion, you cannot reward an individual in a team that does not work. Yamal is not in a team that does not work but you cannot compare a national title [La Liga] to a Champions League. There is no debate. Dembele, I hope, will have marked people's minds more than Yamal thanks to the victory in the Champions League."

UEFA has released the 30-man shortlist for the 2025 Ballon d'Or award with Dembele and Yamal making the cut. However there were notable omissions like Nigeria's Victor Osimhen and Portugal star Bruno Fernandes.

The winner of the award will be announced on September 22nd during a ceremony in Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.