Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has defended Lamine Yamal’s belief that he deserves the Ballon d’Or, applauding the winger’s confidence and saying it is visible in his performances.

Yamal recently said he and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé are the best players in the world and backed himself to win this year’s award. Flick said the teenager was entitled to believe he could win it and that Barcelona would support him.

“He’s honest; he has the self-confidence,” Flick said before Barcelona’s LaLiga meeting with Racing Santander. “His opinion is that he deserves it, and I think also he deserves it.”

Flick pointed to Yamal’s recent achievements as part of his case for the award. The winger helped Barcelona win LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup and was also part of Spain’s World Cup-winning team. Flick also linked Yamal’s confidence off the pitch to his performances on it.

He said the winger shows the same belief when taking on one, two, or three opponents.

“It’s the same self-confidence he has on the pitch,” Flick said. “Whether it’s 1v1 or 1v2 or 1v3, everyone in the stadium is like, ‘Wow.’”

Why Hansi Flick Supports Lamine Yamal’s Ballon d’Or Ambition

Flick’s comments give Yamal clear backing from Barcelona after the forward publicly made his case for the Ballon d’Or. The coach said Barcelona had every reason to support their player and dismissed the idea that it was unusual.

He also said Yamal’s confidence helps him express himself in decisive attacking situations.

“Why should we not campaign for him to win the Ballon d’Or?” Flick said. “It’s normal. It’s our player. We support our player.”

Yamal’s recent form has also strengthened his case for the Ballon d’Or. ESPN reported that the winger had scored seven goals in six appearances when Flick made his comments, although other reports used a different match period for the same seven-goal return.

Flick praised Yamal’s fitness, positioning, and finishing. He said the winger has improved at moving inside and getting into better positions near goal, giving him more chances to score.

Could The Ballon d’Or Debate Distract Barcelona?

Flick said he hopes the award discussion does not affect Barcelona’s work, even though he accepts that the Ballon d’Or matters to Yamal. The coach put team success ahead of individual awards and said the players should focus on what they can control.

He said winning trophies with Barcelona should remain the priority, with individual honours likely to follow if the team performs well.

“If you win titles for the team — because for me it is most important to win with the team — then you deserve it because you worked hard,” Flick said.

Flick supports Yamal’s Ballon d’Or ambitions but made it clear that winning the award is not Barcelona’s main objective. He said the final decision would be up to the voters and admitted he would be happy when the Ballon d’Or discussion was over.

Yamal is among the contenders for the prize, with the ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London, according to current reports. Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé are also listed among the leading candidates in an open race.

Barcelona will now turn their attention to Racing Santander as they look for a sixth consecutive LaLiga victory. Yamal’s performance will offer another chance to strengthen his Ballon d’Or case, but Flick has made clear that the team’s result remains the priority.