In Barcelona, the backing for Lamine Yamal’s Ballon d’Or bid continues to gather familiar voices. Samuel Eto’o, the former Barcelona and Cameroon striker, has publicly thrown his support behind the club’s No. 10 ahead of the award ceremony in London on 26 October.
The news from the club
Eto’o used Instagram to encourage Yamal, describing the teenager as the “Ballon d’Or in our hearts” regardless of the final result. His message was posted alongside an image of Yamal during a Champions League match last season.
The former forward praised Yamal as a “genius, daring and talented” player and wished him well in the contest. He added that, whatever the jury’s decision, the Barcelona player had already earned a special place among supporters.
“Keep making us dream,” Eto’o told Yamal in his message.
Barcelona sporting director Deco, a long-time friend of Eto’o, reacted to the post with applause and heart-eyes emojis.
The London date approaches
Voting closes on Monday, 28 September, with the Ballon d’Or due to be presented in London on 26 October. The assessment period covers achievements from the beginning of last season through to the World Cup final.
Yamal finished second in the previous edition and enters this year’s vote among the leading candidates for football’s most prestigious individual prize. For Barcelona, the campaign has become another sign of how quickly their young forward has moved from promise to the centre of the European game.
