Barca President: 'Lamine Yamal will keep fighting for the Ballon d'Or'

The 2025 Ballon d'Or gala in Paris became a festivity for Barca with their players securing many distinguished honors.

The 2025 Ballon d'Or awards night was a grand celebration for FC Barcelona. Aitana Bonmati reaffirmed her status by winning the women's Ballon d'Or, while Lamine Yamal and Vicky Lopez took home the male and female Kopa Trophies respectively.

Notably, this marks the second consecutive time Yamal has been honored with the Kopa Trophy, and he also impressively finished second in the men's Ballon d'Or race, just behind winner Ousmane Dembele.

After the ceremony, President Joan Laporta expressed his joy openly. “Lamine’s second Kopa Trophy is truly remarkable. As for Aitana, I’m very happy for her; this award will surely motivate her to improve even more,” he said.

Laporta also emphasized the significance of Yamal finishing as the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or at just 18 years old. “Two Kopa Trophies—no one else has achieved this before. I am confident Lamine will continue to compete for the Ballon d'Or in the future. In the room, many chanted ‘Ousmane,’ but we, the Barca supporters, chanted ‘Lamine.’ I’m sure this will inspire him to keep striving.”

The Barcelona president revealed that the club has high hopes for this talented young generation, especially with three players nominated in individual categories. “We had high hopes when Raphinha, Lamine, and Pedri were on the nominee list. In the end, Lamine came very close to the award. But I think winning the Champions League also had some influence on the voting results,” he shared.

Laporta also made sure to mention Vicky Lopez, who won the first-ever female Kopa Trophy, and thanked coach Hansi Flick for his presence in Paris: “We have international recognition, and I truly appreciate Hansi Flick’s presence; he is always dedicated to his work.”

In conclusion, Laporta sent a message to Barca fans: “Keep believing. You have been patient, never giving up, and we owe everything to our members and supporters.”

From Laporta’s words, it’s clear that Barcelona places full trust in this new golden generation. With his talent and humility, Lamine Yamal is becoming an inspiration for the club and a strong candidate for the Ballon d'Or in the future.