Barcelona had a notable presence at the Ballon d’Or gala in Paris on Monday night.
Dani Olmo was among the nominees for the men's award, while the club excelled in the women's category, with Salma Paralluelo finishing third, Caroline Graham Hansen in second, and Aitana Bonmati taking home the top honor.
In the Kopa trophy for the best young player, Pau Cubarsi placed fifth, while Lamine Yamal made history as the youngest winner of the award.
Yamal expressed his excitement, especially after scoring his first Clasico goal. He praised Rodri, stating, “I’m very happy for Rodri, an incredible player and an incredible person.
For the best player in the world to put pressure on you and tell you that you are going to win it is very good. I am young and it would be a dream to win the Ballon d’Or, I hope it is soon,” he shared with MD at the event.
Despite facing racial abuse from Real Madrid fans during a recent match, Yamal remained unfazed.
He remarked, “The one who was on the pitch is me, the one who celebrated the goal is me, and the fact that fans off it say four stupid things to you doesn’t have to matter… on the contrary, when they tell you that, it means you’re doing very well.”
Both Real Madrid and La Liga have condemned the racial abuse, with La Liga filing official complaints to the Spanish Federation.
At least two fans have been identified, and disciplinary actions are anticipated. Vinicius Junior, a prominent figure in the fight against racism in Spanish football, also came to Yamal's defense.
Lamine Yamal