Former Barcelona and Spain star Abelardo Fernandez criticized Lamine Jamal's statements regarding his entitlement to the Ballon d'Or, considering that the young player's talk about his entitlement to the award was not appropriate.
The Spanish newspaper "Marca" quoted Abelardo's statements during his appearance on the "Radio Estadio Noce" program, where he commented on Jamal's statement in which he confirmed that he sees himself as one of the most prominent candidates to win the award this year.
Jamal had said that he believed he deserved the Ballon d'Or in view of the titles and results he had achieved during the season, and he also placed himself and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe among the best players in the world.
Abelardo said: "You can think about it, but you can't say it. I don't think that's a good thing, because it makes you look bad."
The former Barcelona star added that Jamal could have expressed his ambition in a more reserved way, saying: "You can think about it and say: I may be among the favorites, but you never know who these awards will go to."
Abelardo stressed that he did not like what Jamal had said, before quoting the Argentine legend Lionel Messi, saying: "I never heard Messi, who was the god of football, say that."
Abelardo's comments come amid strong competition for the Ballon d'Or, with the list featuring a number of football's biggest stars, including Lionel Messi, Lamine Djamel, Kylian Mbappe, Rodri, Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland, as well as other names who shone during the past season and with their national teams in the 2026 World Cup.
It was remarkable that Messi, who has won the award eight times, continued to be present despite his advancing age, while the title holder Ousmane Dembele entered the race again to defend his award.
what is your opinion on this news ?do let us know in the comments on tha comment box
if you liked this news article please share on friends & family & don't forget to follow on website & social media
