Yamal reacts to Ballon d’Or snub: “I’m confident everyone watched my Season, even if he didn’t”

Lamine Yamal has opened up about being left out of Ousmane Dembélé’s top three Ballon d’Or picks, offering a window into how the Barcelona sensation genuinely feels about the snub  a mix of quiet confidence, mild amusement, and respect for a rival he clearly admires.

Rather than downplaying the omission, Yamal addressed it head-on, making clear that his self-belief hasn’t wavered one bit. “I’m very happy with what I delivered this year, and I’m confident that everyone watched it, even if he didn’t,” he said, in comments relayed by football transfer insider Fabrizio Romano on X on Wednesday.

The remark captures a player who feels his season speaks for itself, even without Dembélé’s endorsement.

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That confidence carried through the rest of his comments. “I’m very happy with the season I had,” Yamal reiterated, before offering a candid explanation for why he might not have made his rival’s list. “I think every time we faced each other, I probably did something that made them dislike me! And that’s normal,” he said, framing the snub as a natural byproduct of fierce on-pitch competition rather than any real animosity.

It was here that Yamal allowed himself a playful moment, jokingly suggesting Dembélé’s choice may have been shaped by loyalty rather than form. “He’s Kylian Mbappé’s friend, right?” he said with a smile, hinting the PSG forward’s friendship with Mbappé a fellow contender might explain his final three.

But beneath the light-hearted jab, Yamal was careful to stress that no bad blood exists between the two. “My relationship with Ousmane is very good, and I understand that he wants to choose other players,” he said, striking a tone of maturity and respect despite the disappointment of missing out on recognition from a player he clearly holds in high regard.

Yamal’s self-assurance is backed by hard numbers. The 18-year-old has already scored four goals in just four LaLiga appearances this season, netting twice against Rayo Vallecano and twice more against Valencia a red-hot start that underlines exactly why he feels so at peace with how his year has gone.