Barcelona's rising star Lamine Yamal has been named the Golden Ball winner by the CIES Football Observatory!
The identity of the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner will be revealed shortly and in the meantime, the CIES Football Observatory's recent weekly report has already recognized Yamal as the winner.
At just 18 years old, Yamal is already considered one of the most promising young talent in the football world, achieving several milestone.
He has even managed to surpass major football stars including Mbappe who finished second in the ranking ahead of Barcelona midfielder Pedri.
Yamal played a key role in helping Barcelona win three domestic trophies including La Liga in the 2024-25 season.
The CIES Football Observatory rated Yamal as the best football player in the world over the past year.
They analyzed six different aspects of his performance and also considered his overall skill level and the outcomes of the matches he played.
Meanwhile, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk secured fourth place in the rankings while Bayern Munich's Micheal Olise claimed the fifth spot.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi, who is currently playing for Inter Miami in MLS is included in the top 100 while his long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo did not make the list.
