Mounir Nasraoui, father of Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal, has expressed confidence that his son will claim the 2026 Ballon d’Or, after finishing second this year.
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Lamine Yamal (C) with his family, including his father Mounir Nasraoui (3rd, L), before the Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France on Sept. 22, 2025. Photo by AFP |
Yamal brought 20 family members and friends, including his father, to the awards ceremony at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on Monday night. While the forward had planned a celebration in France if he won the prestigious individual award, he ultimately received the Silver Ball, finishing behind PSG star Ousmane Dembele.
“Next year will be ours,” Nasraoui told COPE on the red carpet.
In an exclusive interview with El Chiringuito TV, he went further on his son’s defeat this year.
“I think this is the biggest… not robbery, I won’t say that, but the greatest moral harm to a human being,” he said. “Because I believe that Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world by far, by a huge margin. Not because he’s my son, but because he’s the best player in the world. I don’t think he has rivals. We have to say that something very strange has happened here.”
Despite the loss, Yamal remained composed and congratulated Dembele with a hug. The 18-year-old also took home the Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year, awarded to the best U21 player in the world.
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Lamine Yamal speaks after receiving the Kopa Trophy for the world’s best U21 player at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Sept. 22, 2025. Photo by Reuters |
Yamal, 18, is the first player in history to successfully defend the Kopa Trophy, breaking the cycle of a different winner a year since its launch by France Football in 2018. His victory also extended Barcelona’s dominance in this category, with Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022) and Yamal himself (2024 and 2025), winning four awards in seven editions.
“Thank you very much to France Football for the award,” Yamal said in his acceptance speech. “It’s an honor to be here again. I want to thank FC Barcelona, the national team; without them, I wouldn’t be here. I want to thank my family and my teammates. I hope to keep working hard and achieve many more.”
Last season, Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 21 assists in 55 appearances for Barcelona, playing a pivotal role in the team’s domestic treble with the La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. He also helped Spain reach the Nations League final.
Individually, Yamal’s accolades include the Kopa Trophy, Golden Boy Award, Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year and a place in the FIFPRO World XI, cementing his status as one of football’s best young talents.
