Lamine Yamal traveled to London by private jet accompanied by his closest circle. Like Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane, the Barcelona star had hopes of becoming the winner of a Ballon d'Orwhich the Briton would end up taking, and he would have to settle for the Kopa Trophy, which rewards the best talent under 21 years of age. It is the third consecutive year that Lamine has received this award, although in this edition he expected to take the Ballon d'Or and for it to be Pau Cubarsí, who declined to go to the gala when he became aware that he would not be awarded, who would receive the distinction. These are the five main reasons that explain why he finished behind Kane and Mbappé in the election based on the vote of one hundred journalists from one hundred different countries.

The fact that Lamine Yamal has not won the Ballon d'Or gives the feeling that it simply postpones the inevitable. We know that the award granted by France Football is always both sporting and extra-sporting at the same time, that footballing criteria are rewarded and at the same time there is room for a certain 'je ne sais quoi'. But the charm of Lamine is that when it comes to him, that 'je ne sais quoi' is the core of the matter. After a few years in which the ups and downs could be read in a prosaic key depending on whether the ball went in or not, Lamine embodies one of those cases in which an individual ceases to be just that and becomes a metaphor. The Ballon d'Or merely delays what sooner or later will end up happening.

When on July 5, 2022, Alexia Putellas tore her anterior cruciate ligament in a training session prior to the European Championship, her life changed completely. "I felt very sad, because that Alexia was ending and there would be another, I didn't know if better or worse, but another one." That is how the player from Mollet del Vallès described that fateful injury, one of the worst a footballer can suffer, just when she had won her second Ballon d'Or.

Neither Lamine Yamal, nor Kylian Mbappé. 25 years after the last time, an Englishman reigns in world football. Bayern striker Harry Kane has won the Ballon d'Or with the most uncertain forecast in years, and has managed to emulate Michael Owen's feat in 2001. A prize that he received precisely in London, his hometown and the one where for so many years he scored goals with Tottenham until, tired of not winning titles, he left for Bayern. At 33 years old, Kane received the award at the gala held at the London Palladium in London, finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappé, second, and ahead of Lamine Yamal, third. The blue and garnet player Rodri finished fourth and Lionel Messi, fifth. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished sixth, Dembélé in seventh position, Haaland in eighth, Olise in ninth and Fabián Ruiz in tenth.

This time, the moral lesson that “campaigns are made by them, not us” cannot be pronounced. The pestering that Barça is doing for Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or cannot be masked, especially because the Catalan genius is the first to ensure that everyone gets on board the ship. Not even the elusive Hansi Flick has been able to escape it. The German coach, an enemy of egos and elements that distort collective goals, was called to duty to change his speech at the request of the star and the club's leadership. A bit forced by the circumstances, Flick also ended up declaring him worthy of the award. It escapes no one that having a footballer crowned with the highest individual award would mean increasing revenue and improving the brand image. Hansi, we are also very eager for this unbearable noise to end.

"You are at Barça and it doesn't matter what player you are, you have to behave." This is how Lamine Yamal explains an anecdote with Sergio Busquets during his first years in the Barça first-team dressing room. The Barça star has covered various topics – sporting and non-sporting – in an in-depth conversation with former footballer Jorge Valdano. Throughout the week, previews have been published in which, for example, the winger from Rocafonda considers himself deserving of the Ballon d'Or.

The Ballon d'Or will be awarded at the end of October and will reward the best player of the past season. The award is defended by Ousmane Dembélé, winner of the last two editions, but he will face considerable competition, especially following the victory of the Spanish national team in the last World Cup. This triumph makes two Blaugrana players favorites, Lamine Yamal Nasraoui and Rodrigo Hernández. The third 'culer' in the shortlist, Pau Cubarsí, is the main favorite to take home the award for the best young player of the year.

The workers of the Lyceum who prepared Tonight's performance of 'The Cunning Vixen' They were peeking out with curiosity. They all wanted to see Aitana Bonmatí, for a day the main attraction on a stage where other stars usually shine. Bonmatí took photos with the Liceu workers the day she visited for a photo shoot to celebrate. his third consecutive Ballon d'Or. She arrived with two friends from Sant Pere de Ribes, her town, where she was having coffee in the town square on Tuesday, as always. "The thing is, I'm still the same Aitana as I always was. Where I feel comfortable is in the town square, with my family. If I have to go to galas and wear a suit, I do it, but my place is there," she explained at a press conference.

"Those of us who are from Ribes will always tell you that we are very much from Ribes; you'll see, ask whoever you want!" says Rubén Bernardo, who has been a coach at Club Deportiu Ribes for over two decades, with a friendly smile. "Apart from being president, I've done almost everything. I'm older than the crest!" he jokes. It's not unusual to see Rubén happy, but this Tuesday he is especially cheerful: Aitana Bonmatí, whom he coached as a child, has won his third Ballon d'Or"I didn't expect it, I jumped off the sofa! I was watching it at home with my wife, Lidia, and my son, Pau, who also played with Aitana as a child, and we were so happy," he says. Aitana's pride is the pride of a good part of Sant Pere de Ribes, a town of just over 30,000 inhabitants in the Garraf region where the newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner grew up and still lives.

Paris surrendered at the feet of a Catalan woman. Again, for the fifth time. The French capital dressed up for another year for the Ballon d'Or ceremony, the award given by the French magazine France Football and which recognizes the best players of the season. A historic gala, because Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d'Or ahead of Mallorca's Mariona Caldentey, who came in second. Alessia Russo, a double European champion with Arsenal and the English national team, finished third. In the men's category, it was a celebration for PSG: they were chosen as the best club, Luis Enrique won as the best coach, and Ousmane Dembélé won the grand prize, the Ballon d'Or, ahead of Lamine Yamal, who came one step away from causing an upset. The player from Mataró became the youngest player to climb the podium, doing so at 18 years old. Until now, the youngest had been Brazilian Ronaldo in 1997 at 21 years old.

Days before Spain-France, Lamine Yamal had already expressed his opinion on the Ballon d'Or, stating that it didn't depend on one match, but rather on who was the best over a season. Most media forums were focused on him and Dembélé, who will also be playing in the Club World Cup with PSG. After the Nations League semifinal, in which Lamine was chosen as the man of the match after scoring two goals and putting on another exhibition, the Barça player walked out with his cap tilted to the side of the press room and brazenly declared: "The Ballon d'Or is given to the best player of the year, but if they wanted to give it for today's game, I'd have no problem with it." Seriously: give it to him now, tomorrow if possible, and let's not talk about it anymore.

In Munich, Lisbon, Dortmund, and even in Saudi Arabia against Real Madrid's eternal rival. With a header, providing magical assists, or running 40 meters to win with his team, Raphinha always appears. The Barça striker has produced memorable performances this season: one hat trick against the Bavarian beast, a double in the Super Cup final against Madrid and Three goals for Porto Alegre in the aggregate of the tie against Benfica (4-1). The Brazilian striker is the one who puts in the most physical effort to take the win.