Barcelona 17 years old star Lamine Yamal has caught the eyes of fans all over the world over his brilliance and he’s definitely one of the Ballon d’Or contenders. But former Barcelona icon Thierry Henry has left out wonderkid Lamine Yamal when naming his four main contenders for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, despite the teenager’s standout season.
Yamal, 17, was instrumental for both Barcelona and Spain, netting 18 goals across all competitions and helping his country reach the UEFA Nations League final.
However, Spain were defeated by Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo making headlines afterward by voicing his own pick for the award.
Henry, speaking earlier this year on CBS Sports, identified Raphinha, Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, and Ousmane Dembele as his top candidates.
Notably, he claimed Raphinha was “ahead” of the rest due to his Champions League form — having scored 11 goals with only one coming from the penalty spot.
“Raphinha is ahead, yes, with the Ballon d’Or. Because of what he is doing in the Champions League,” Henry said.
”Mo Salah is a great contender, Kane is a contender, and Dembele — it depends.”
Henry highlighted Raphinha’s all-round contribution, including his pressing and defensive work, as key attributes that strengthen his case for the award.
Since Henry’s comments, Dembele helped PSG win the Champions League, while Salah, Kane, and Raphinha all secured domestic titles.
Yamal, meanwhile, missed the chance to boost his Ballon d’Or claim with an international trophy.
Despite Yamal’s omission, the race for football’s most prestigious individual prize remains wide open.
Do you think Thierry Henry is wrong for the omission? Drop your opinion in the comment session.