'It depends who they want' - Robert Lewandowski suggests Ballon d'Or is rigged after missing out on top prize in brutal warning to Barcelona co-star Lamine Yamal

The Barcelona striker has warned Yamal of not expecting big things during this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony. The 17-year-old winger had a phenomenal season and was consistently among the best players in the world, which has seen him become one of the leading candidates to lift the prestigious individual accolade later this year.

Yamal would become the youngest player in football history to win a Ballon d'Or, doing so at the age of 18 if he does indeed win the majority of votes. He scored 18 goals and registered a whopping 21 assists in all competitions across 55 games for the Catalans. His extraordinary impact in the Champions League has made him the frontrunner for the 2025 Ballon d'Or in the eyes of many. In fact, Barca midfielder Gavi recently commented that Yamal should be winning the award ahead of Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele, who played a starring role in Les Parisiens' historic quadruple.

Lewandowski was tipped to go on to win the Ballon d'Or in 2020, but the prize was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He then finished runner-up the following year, with many suggesting he was robbed of the honour. Having learned from that experience, the Poland star has warned Yamal not to get his hopes up, hinting that the rules change depending on who is up for the prize.

When asked if Yamal can win Ballon d'Or, Lewandowski told Mundo Deportivo: "He has a chance, of course, but there are other things that are very important about the Ballon d'Or. It depends on the rules they have this year. Every year, you have different rules. It depends on who they want and what the rules are this season."

He added: "For me it would be nice if a Barcelona player won the Ballon d'Or, but in the end you're not sure what the important rules are this season."

Having helped Barca clinch La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana trophies, Yamal will turn his attention towards the Nations League, with Spain scheduled to face France in the semi-final on Thursday.