Cole Palmer didn't hesitate when naming the best player in world football this season

Chelsea star Cole Palmer didn't hesitate when naming who he believes to be the best player in world football this season.

Palmer has had another successful season in a Blues shirt, helping Chelsea to win the Conference League and qualify for the Champions League.

Although the attacking midfielder didn't have the same influence as he did during the previous season, he still had 23 goal contributions in the Premier League and is now an automatic pick for England squads.

When it came to naming the best player in the world, Palmer decided not to go with any Premier League player.

He also snubbed stars from Paris Saint-Germain, who would go on to win the Champions League two weeks after his interview.

Instead, he chose Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who has taken world football by storm despite being just 18 years of age.

The Spaniard won Euro 2024 last summer - in the only professional game in which he has come up against Palmer - before playing a key role in Barcelona's La Liga triumph and run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Yamal is one of the leading contenders to win this year's Ballon d'Or, having been the favourite to do so before ex-Barca winger Ousmane Dembele won the Champions League with PSG.

But for Palmer, it is clear that he believes Yamal should win the award for the first time in his career, and become the first active Barca men's player to do so since Lionel Messi back in 2019.

The Chelsea star told Sky Sports: "It's mad, isn't it [how good he is]?

"I think he's the best player in the world. Just everything, I feel like everything they do just goes through him. When you watch him... it's just mad.

"You can just tell the way he plays, he's just got confidence and no fear. I just love watching him."