LaLiga president Javier Tebas said he believes Lamine Yamal missed out on the Ballon d'Or because of his age but is convinced the Barcelona star will soon win the award.
Yamal, who turned 18 in July, was second to Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé in the Ballon d'Or voting on Monday.
The Barcelona and Spain forward did make history by becoming the only multiple-time Kopa Trophy winner, an award given to the best player under 21 years old.
"If he had been older than 23, he would have won it, too, I'm sure, but since he was younger, they gave him the other one [Kopa trophy]," Tebas said in reference to Yamal and the Ballon d'Or result.
Unlike Tebas, Barcelona president Joan Laporta believed the Champions League was the deciding factor in the Ballon d'Or race.
Dembélé, 28, scored 35 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions for treble-winners PSG, who also won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France in addition to their first ever Champions League trophy.
Yamal, meanwhile, scored 18 goals in 55 games in all competitions last season as Barça won LaLiga, the Spanish Supercopa and the Copa del Rey, but lost in the Champions League semifinal to Inter Milan. He said on Monday while receiving the Kopa Trophy that he has to "keep on working to win other awards in the future."
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Yamal has already broken numerous records since making his Barcelona debut aged 16, including becoming the youngest scorer in LaLiga history and the youngest player ever to feature at a European Championship. He won the Young Player of the Tournament at the 2024 Euros after helping Spain claim the title.
Tebas said he is convinced Yamal will lift the Ballon d'Or in the near future.
"If he continues at the level he's at, which seems likely, I think there's no doubt he'll win the Ballon d'Or," he said.
