Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has offered his full support to teammate Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Ballon d'Or, claiming the Frenchman stands alone as the world's best individual performer. The Belgian shot-stopper also took the opportunity to question the consistency of the voting process, suggesting that the criteria for football's most prestigious individual prize remain confusing for players and fans alike.
Lamine Yamal reached a historic milestone despite Barcelona suffering a 4-2 defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. The 19-year-old winger netted his 13th UEFA Champions League goal, matching Kylian Mbappe's record for the most goals scored by a teenager in the competition.
Kylian Mbappe has been chasing the Ballon d’Or dream since he was a teenager, with Gilles Grimandi telling GOAL why he was left “embarrassed” when first being made aware of that ambitious Golden Ball target. The ex-Arsenal star formed part of transfer talks at the time, with Mbappe’s family making it clear to the Gunners that the flying frontman intended to become the best player on the planet.
La Liga officials are preparing a massive television production featuring up to 40 cameras around Camp Nou for Sunday's blockbuster showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The broadcast setup will include dedicated player-tracking lenses locked onto attacking superstars Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe throughout the contest.
Kylian Mbappe came “very close” to joining Arsenal as a teenage wonderkid. Gills Grimandi formed part of transfer talks at the time, and the former Gunners star has told GOAL that there remains an outside chance of the Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ enhancing the French legacy in north London. A deal is not expected to be done any time soon, but nothing can be entirely ruled out.
