Brazilian Neymar da Silva, the Santos star, has thrown his weight behind Lamine Yamal in this year's Ballon d'Or race.
Spanish newspaper "Marca" report that Neymar posted an image on his social media accounts alongside a message that left no room for doubt: "Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world".
The Santos player shared a graphic from the "Score 90" and "Sofascore" platforms comparing two exceptional seasons, one belonging to the Brazilian himself, the other to the teenager. Neymar's conclusion? Lamine Yamal is the best player on the planet.
Those numbers showed Neymar's own return at Paris Saint-Germain in 2017-2018: 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 matches.
Against that, the graphic set Lamine Yamal's tally of 8 goals and 9 assists from his first 10 matches with Barcelona this season.
So the Barcelona star picks up fresh backing in his bid for the prestigious Ballon d'Or, with the winner announced on 25 October in London.
It helps that the endorsement comes from a close friend. The pair have been tight since spending a holiday together in Brazil in 2025.