At the amazing age of 18 years, 2 months, and 9 days, Lamine Yamal came in second for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, which was a huge deal for football. Ousmane Dembélé won the top prize after PSG’s historic Champions League success, but Yamal’s second-place finish is a huge accomplishment that makes him the youngest player ever to reach the Ballon d’Or podium.
A Different Type of History
Yamal didn’t win the top prize, but he did set new records in other ways. He also received the Kopa Trophy for the second year in a row. This award goes to the finest young male football player. He shattered a record held by luminaries like Ronaldo Nazário (who came in second at age 20 in 1996) and Lionel Messi (who came in third at age 20 in 2007).
Yamal’s outstanding play in the 2024-25 season was what made him a candidate. He was a big part of Barcelona’s domestic triple, scoring an amazing 20 goals and setting up 23 more in all competitions. This is something that is almost impossible for a player his age to do.
Trying to Beat Ronaldo’s Record
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo Nazário holds the record for the youngest person to win the Ballon d’Or. He won it in 1997 when he was 21 years, 3 months, and 5 days old. If Yamal had won this year, he would have broken that record by more than three years.
Yamal still has a long way to go before he can beat this record, though. He was born in July 2007, so he will be under 21 for the next three Ballon d’Or ceremonies. This offers him a lot of time to pass Ronaldo and make his mark in football history. Yamal’s mix of technical brilliance, tactical experience, and clutch performances makes it seem like his time to win is just a matter of time.
Ronaldo’s record is safe for now, but the football world is watching. The stage is set for one of the most interesting individual events in the history of the sport.