Lamine Yamal: Let's stop talking about it

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.

There's no debate about who is the best player in the world right now, and his 17 years of age shouldn't hinder him; on the contrary. Lamine Yamal's explosion is so brutal, so exceptional, that it has caught us all off guard, but it's a fact: he's here, we're seeing it, and we've become privileged witnesses of an enormous talent who is motivated by challenges. Do I have to play a great game against France? Well, come on, I'll shut everyone up now. His self-confidence is overwhelming, and at this point, you can tell he thinks he's the king of the mambo by the way he expresses himself off the field. But the moment the ball rolls, there's no other option, because it leaves no room for him, but to agree with him. So, really, just give him the Ballon d'Or now, so why keep beating around the bush.

It would also be a welcome break, on the other hand, because the nagging about the little ball is unbearable, and it's getting worse and worse with each passing year. There isn't a single month in which the award isn't talked about, there's no way to escape the repeated arguments about who deserves it more, there's no footballer who isn't asked who should win it, and even major sporting events like the Champions League final end up becoming mere showcases to bolster thoughtful arguments. It would be an immense relief if Lamine Yamal won the Ballon d'Or right now, today, let's not wait any longer, and then we could focus on, I don't know, something else, on football as a team sport and focus on Pedri, Vitinha, or Raphinha, for example. Wouldn't that be wonderful?