\n<\/p>\n
Like many of this year\u2019s candidates, Lamine Yamal<\/a> (19) hasn\u2019t shirked away from drumming home his arguments for why he should win the Ballon d\u2019Or. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 has already done several interviews, one of which may have shirked the current holder and once again a candidate to retain his trophy, Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9<\/a>. Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, have been pushing their favourites for the award, Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, both of whom have been prominent in the media since their nominations earlier this month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yamal is coming off a season where he won La Liga with Barcelona<\/a> and the FIFA World Cup with the Spain national team. At just 19, he has been nominated for the Ballon d\u2019Or on three occasions. Last season, he was pipped by PSG\u2019s Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 but won the Kopa Trophy, for the second time, awarded to the best young player. The Spain international was asked why he believed Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 won the award last year instead of him. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe both played in the Champions League. We got to the semi-finals and he won it\u2026 experience counts, too [\u2026] I want to congratulate Ousmane on his very good season,\u201d <\/em>Yamal told L\u2019\u00c9quipe<\/a>. <\/strong>\u201cThe Ballon d\u2019Or is the prize for the best player of the year, of the different player, the one that you enjoy watching play, the one that has that magic, that makes you smile, the one that makes you want to watch a game just to watch him. It has nothing to do with the number of goals that he scores, nor with anything else,\u201d <\/em>added the Barcelona forward. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yamal was then asked what his arguments were to win the prize for the first time. \u201cI think that those who watch football know what my arguments are,\u201d <\/em>began the Spaniard. \u201cOn the pitch, I enjoy myself, I play well, as I want to. I was also lucky to win lots of titles with Barca. That\u2019s been the case for two years, and I won the most important one, the World Cup. But beyond that, I think that my style of play is my strongest argument and what makes me different,\u201d <\/em>he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n