Liverpool player Victor Munoz has named the man he believes deserves to win the Ballon d'Or, and he would hand his vote to Spain's Lamine Yamal, despite his own past ties to Real Madrid and a season spent alongside Kylian Mbappe.
"I would give it to Lamine," Munoz told the newspaper "Diario AS". "He is my teammate in the national team, and I believe he deserves it." He added that any player crowned with the award would be worthy of it, but that Yamal remained his pick.
Yamal, Mbappe and Harry Kane are the three names in the running. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October, with fierce competition between them.
Both Spanish giants have shaped Munoz's story. He came through Barcelona's academy as a child before a spell with Real Madrid, and he reflected on both. Barcelona, he said, gave him the chance to learn about teamwork and the club's methodology, while Real Madrid's more direct style suited his abilities.
Now Munoz is building his career at Liverpool, drawing on everything he took from those two academies. He voiced his gratitude for the time he spent at each of them.