Serie A rising star tips Barcelona wonderkid for future Ballon d’Or success

From being an obscure attacker at RB Leipzig to becoming one of the best wingers in Italy and a Ballon d’Or nominee, Ademola Lookman has perhaps one of the greatest arcs in football in recent times.

Currently plying his trade for Atalanta, Lookman’s 2023/24 campaign saw him being involved in as many as 27 goals in all competitions.

This led to a Ballon d’Or nomination at the 2024 gala, with the former Everton forward claiming 14th position, ahead of players like Federico Valverde, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Lookman backs Yamal to win Ballon d’Or

Another star on the Ballon d’Or award ceremony was Lamine Yamal, who bagged the prestigious Kopa Trophy by a wide margin.

In a recent interaction with DAZN, Lookman heaped praise on Yamal, even backing the Barcelona superstar to win the Ballon d’Or in the near future.

Lookman believes Yamal can win the Ballon d’Or (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“One player who could win the Ballon d’Or in future? Lamine Yamal,” said Lookman, who has showcased excellent form this season as well.

Lookman’s statement comes on the back of Yamal’s excellent start to the campaign, with the young forward playing a central role in Hansi Flick’s attacking setup.

Although Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have stolen the majority of the headlines, Yamal’s six goals and eight assists have been equally important.

In fact, the young Spaniard has already beaten Lionel Messi’s early records at Barcelona and could well become a future Ballon d’Or candidate if he can continue his rapid progress.

After all, Yamal, at the age of just 17, finished eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings this year and things are only expected to improve as he continues to play a key role in the Barcelona frontline.