'Lamine Yamal only won La Liga!' - PSG director slams claims that Barcelona star should win Ballon d'Or as there's 'no discussion' Ousmane Dembele deserves it

PSG’s sporting director Campos dismissed Yamal’s Ballon d’Or chances during an appearance on RMC Sport. He praised the teenager as a huge talent for the future, but argued that the award is about one season, not potential. In his view, Spaniards record, limited to winning La Liga with Barcelona was not enough compared to what others achieved.

The 18-year-old was central to the Catalan giants' domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana. His creativity, goals, and maturity lit up Spanish football, cementing him as one of the brightest prospects in the game. But despite his rise, doubts remain whether that resume is enough to challenge PSG’s headline star.

"We're looking at Lamine Yamal as a huge player for the future. But we're talking about a very specific season. The record has been decisive in all the previous years, and what has Lamine Yamal won? The Spanish league," Campos said.

He added: "PSG has nine nominees for the Ballon d'Or. We're very happy and very proud. Other players also deserve to be there, like [Bradley] Barcola and [William] Pacho. Ousmane Dembele scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists. He was voted best player in the Champions League, best player in his league. He finished as the top scorer in his league. He won everything. Whether his name is Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there's no discussion."

The sporting director also expressed frustration at the possibility of Dembele being overlooked: "If he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or, it's because the people who voted don't have the skills to vote for the Ballon d'Or. Because the stats he has and everything he's won are very strong. In my opinion, the one who clearly deserves the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembele. For me, there's no discussion. I'm talking about the past season, not a projection on Lamine Yamal in the coming years. In this season, the player with the best stats and the most prominent in all competitions is Ousmane Dembele. [Achraf] Hakimi and Vitinha, who also won the Nations League, also had extraordinary seasons, but the truth is that the best player in the Champions League and Ligue 1 is Ousmane Dembele. The Ballon d'Or should be him."

The French forward, who left Barca for PSG in 2023, spearheaded the club’s first-ever Champions League triumph last season. His 35 goals and 16 assists were backed by individual honours, including Best Player in the Champions League and Best Player in Ligue 1.

Dembele’s dazzling false nine role and big-game moments made him indispensable as Les Parisiens secured a historic treble. Campos insisted that if the Ballon d’Or were judged purely on numbers and trophies, there could be no debate.

The Ballon d’Or will be announced on September 22, with both Yamal and Dembele named among the contenders. PSG boast nine nominees overall, including Hakimi and Vitinha. Both Dembele and Yamal will miss the opening round of Champions League group matches due to injury, but could go head-to-head on October 1, when Barcelona face PSG in a high-stakes clash.