Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Lamine Yamal, Ballon d'Or, Barcelona, Football
Tom Jenkins
Lamine Yamal's partner has spoken out after the Barcelona star missed out on becoming the youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history in Paris on Monday night.
It was Ousmane Dembele who took home the night's top prize following a treble-winning season where he scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists in all competitions for PSG.
Yamal's attendance wasn't completely in vain, as the teenager became the first player to win back-to-back KOPA trophies, which is awarded to the best under-21 player each year.
Speaking on stage at the Théâtre du Châtele, the Spanish international said: ”It’s an honor to be here again.
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"I want to thank Barcelona and the national team. Also, my family. I don’t want to forget my teammates, like Cubarsí and Raphinha, who we can also see here," he added.
The Barcelona prodigy was then asked if he was ready for the 'big one', which he jokingly responded: “I don’t know if I’m ready for the big trophy! Maybe we’ll see each other later.”
Yamal attended the event with a large group of his family, however, the teenager was without Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole, whom he has been publicly dating in recent months.
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The artist was first spotted with the Barcelona star in August and has featured on his social media accounts to confirm the romance.
Despite the 25-year-old missing the ceremony, she was quick to react to the result on social media.
In an Instagram story post posing alongside the 18-year-old, she wrote, 'mi te amo', which translates to 'I love you'.
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Yamal's second-place finish means he is the youngest player to be a runner-up in the Ballon d'Or, beating Ronaldo Nazario who was 20 in 1996.
The Spaniard was Barcelona's highest-ranked player, with Raphinha the only other representation from the Catalan club inside the top 10.
Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
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Lamine Yamal (BAR)
Vitinha (PSG)
Mohamed Salah (LIV)
Raphinha (BAR)
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Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Kylian Mbappé (RMA)
Cole Palmer (CHE)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
Nuno Mendes (PSG)