Lionel Messi picked out three players to challenge Lamine Yamal for the Ballon d'Or but it appears as though his selections will not be in contention for the 2025 gong.
Messi holds the record the most Ballon d'Ors in history with eight but was not featured on the 30-man shortlist last year as Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri beat Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr to be crowned the best player in the world.
This time around, Yamal, viewed as Messi's heir to the throne at Barcelona, is a frontrunner after an incredible run for club and country.
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Many have tipped the 17-year-old sensation to become the youngest ever Ballon d'Or winner after he scored 18 goals and registered 25 assists for Barcelona as they won La Liga and the Copa del Rey, while helping Spain to the Nations League final.
But Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the favourite to win the prize after scoring 33 times and firing Luis Enrique's men to a long-awaited Champions League triumph.
Lionel Messi named four players who can compete for Ballon d'Or
In March 2024, Messi named four players he expected to be in the running for the Ballon d'Or, including former teammate Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius and Erling Haaland.
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The Barcelona legend tipped Yamal, who he met when he was just a toddler in an UNICEF photoshoot, to have a "prominent role".
As per L'Equipe, Messi said: "The players to compete for the Ballon d'Or in the coming years? There may be a very beautiful rivalry in the coming years with players like Haaland, Mbappe, Vinicius and many young players competing for the Ballon d'Or.
"I also think that Lamine Yamal, who is still very young and now plays for Barcelona, will play a prominent role and fight for it in the future too.
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"Certainly there will be others competing for it, new players that we do not know will appear, because there are always new players, and I think it will be a very beautiful era to enjoy."
Mbappe is fourth on the list after 43 goals in his debut season for Real, but there is no place for teammate Vinicius or Haaland in Oddschecker's standings.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, had named Yamal, Dembele and Vitinha as his three contenders but mentioned his criteria for the award, stating that "those who stand out and win the Champions League should win".
Nominees for the Ballon d'Or are expected to be named in August, with the ceremony taking place on 22 September.
Topics: Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Ballon d'Or, Barcelona, FC Barcelona
Josh Lawless