'Best in the world!' - Neymar delivers ultimate Lamine Yamal verdict as Barcelona wonderkid chases Ballon d'Or glory

Neymar has given his full backing to Yamal in the race to win the upcoming Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian took to social media to share his high praise for the young winger. Posting an image on his social media, Neymar made his feelings on the Barcelona wonderkid completely clear. He declared: "Lamine Yamal is the best in the world."

Neymar reached his bold conclusion after sharing a statistical comparison graphics produced by platforms Score90 and Sofascore. The image benchmarked two remarkable historic campaigns from both attackers side-by-side.

The graphic displayed Neymar's stunning 2017-18 season with Paris Saint-Germain, where he recorded 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 matches. Opposite his figures were Yamal's stats from the start of the current campaign with Barcelona.

Yamal has enjoyed an explosive start to the term, registering eight goals and nine assists in his opening 10 matches for Barcelona. Those numbers convinced Neymar that the teenager stands above the rest of the football world.

The public endorsement from the Santos star highlights the close relationship between the two players off the pitch. The duo have maintained a tight friendship ever since spending time together during a holiday in Brazil in 2025.

Their personal friendship adds extra weight to Neymar's endorsement as Yamal competes for football's biggest individual honor. The winger continues to draw comparisons with the game's greatest figures as his rapid rise shows no signs of slowing down. His sensational form for Barcelona has quickly made him a prime candidate on the global stage.

Yamal will now await the official verdict when the footballing world gathers in London for the gala presentation on 26 October. The winger aims to crown his sensational opening month of the season with the ultimate prize.