Lamine Yamal's Father Slams Dembele's Ballon D'or Win, Calls It“Moral Damage”

The Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris sparked celebrations for some but bitterness for others. Ousmane Dembele, who guided Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory, was named the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner on Monday night, becoming the sixth Frenchman to claim football's most prestigious individual prize.

Dembele's triumph put him in the company of legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini, and Karim Benzema. The French forward received glowing tributes from around the football world, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi both sending heartfelt congratulations to their former team-mate on social media.

But not everyone was convinced. The father of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, Mounir Nasraoui, expressed his frustration in an interview with Spanish broadcaster El Chiringuito.

“This wasn't theft, but rather moral damage to a human being,” he said bluntly.“Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world by far. It's not because he's my son, but because he is the best player in the world.”

Yamal Shines Despite Losing Out

At just 18, Yamal has taken Spanish football by storm. In only his second professional season, he racked up 18 goals and 25 assists across competitions, inspiring Barcelona to a domestic treble - La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup.

While the main prize slipped from his grasp, Yamal did not leave Paris empty handed. He created history by becoming the first player ever to win the Kopa Trophy twice, retaining the award as the world's best under-21 talent.

His father, however, remained dissatisfied with the outcome.“Lamine is Lamine. We have to say something strange has happened here. Next year it's ours - next year the Ballon d'Or will be Spanish,” Nasraoui declared.

Respect Between Rivals

Despite the controversy around the result, Yamal himself stayed gracious. He warmly congratulated Dembele and embraced him after the announcement was made.

The PSG forward, visibly emotional, broke down in tears during his acceptance speech.“I didn't want to cry, but as soon as I started talking about my family, about the people who have been there for me, it all came up and I couldn't hold it back,” Dembele admitted.

Thanking his teammates, Dembele underlined the collective nature of his achievement:“We have practically won everything together. You supported me in the good and the difficult times. This individual trophy is one the team has won collectively.”

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