Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal says he will not campaign for the Ballon d’Or, despite helping Spain win the World Cup and Barcelona retain La Liga.
“I don’t think I need to (make a campaign for it), I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal told reporters.
“I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more.
“I think… I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s (the media’s) job and I will not beg for anything.”
Yamal, 19, finished second last year behind Ousmane Dembele. He joked after Dembele backed Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
“He’s a friend of Kylian, right?” joked Yamal.
“The truth is I don’t care, I’m very happy with the year I had, when I played against both of them together I must have annoyed them.”
He also said he has never been happier after returning from a hamstring injury.
“I’ve never been happier at any point in my life than I am now.”
Barcelona begin their Champions League campaign against Feyenoord on Wednesday, with Yamal calling the trophy “very special”.
Flick praised him, saying: “Lamine is a player who can decide games on his own, fantastic quality,”
