Yamal vs Dembele: Ex-Golden Boy snubs ex-teammate for new in Ballon d'Or race

Barcelona midfielder Gavi has tipped his teammate, Lamine Yamal, to win the Ballon d'Or for this season, ahead of Ousmane Dembele and many others to come. 

The 18-year-old has three years to break Delima Ronaldo’s record for the youngest ever player to win the Ballon d'Or, the earliest being for the current campaign.

The Spain international is one of the favourites to win France Football's coveted prize after an exceptional campaign for Barcelona, winning the domestic treble that consists of the LALIGA, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España titles. 

While Yamal did not win the Champions League with Barcelona, a title that holds weight in Ballon d'Or conversations, his performance in the semi-final against Inter was the most spoken about during the campaign.

Yamal's most viable contender for the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembélé, who won the Champions League with PSG. The Frenchman is also the odds-on favourite to win the award. 

While Gavi wants his teammate to win this season, he is also friends with Dembele and has previously said that the former Dortmund man would be a deserving winner. Irrespective of how this season’s award goes, Gavi is confident that Yamal will retire as a Ballon d'Or winner. 

“I hope he wins,” he said, per Dario AS. “If he doesn't this year, he's 18 and very young. Being among the favourites is something unique. I'm happy with what he's doing with us.

"He's an incredible player. He's getting better every day. He's amazing in training. He has to keep going like this, with that mentality, and I'm sure that if he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or this year, he'll win many in the future.”