Fabrizio Romano has made a bold and resounding prediction that could shake the football world: Barcelona’s 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal will win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, beating heavyweights Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to the prestigious crown. The respected transfer guru made this claim during a live session on his YouTube channel, citing Yamal’s “otherworldly magic” as a force unmatched in the game today.
Yamal, who dazzled for Barcelona throughout the 2024/25 season, helped the club lift both the LaLiga title and the Copa del Rey under new head coach Hansi Flick. His breakout performances included 16 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, plus crucial match-winning moments that defined Barca’s season.
Despite competing against global superstars like Mbappe, who led Real Madrid to a UEFA Champions League final and netted 38 goals, and Haaland, who finished with 42 goals for Manchester City, Romano believes Yamal’s age, flair, and creativity set him apart. “What Lamine does at 17 is simply unreal. The way he reads the game, the confidence, the dribbling—it’s magic,” Romano said.
Romano emphasized that while Mbappe and Haaland remain on a “super level,” Yamal has crossed into “another level”—a phrase now trending among fans on social media following the viral clip from The Touchline X handle. Journalists and pundits have also begun echoing Romano’s sentiments, with growing calls for the Ballon d’Or to recognize raw, generational talent over sheer statistics.
Yamal is currently with Spain’s national team at EURO 2025, where he already has 2 assists in the group stage. A stellar tournament performance could further tilt the global spotlight in his favor ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for October 2025 in Paris.
Among other contenders are Ousmane Dembele, Pedri, Raphinha, Mohamed Salah, and Vinicius Jr, but none has generated the blend of artistry, consistency, and international buzz that Yamal has this season. If he wins, he will become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in football history—surpassing even Lionel Messi, who won his first at age 22.
The conversation around Yamal is no longer about potential. It’s about presence—and if Romano’s forecast proves true, football may be witnessing the official dawn of its next era.
