The Father’s Outrage

The 2025 Ballon d’Or gala crowned Ousmane Dembélé as the best player in the world, but it left a bitter taste for the family of Lamine Yamal. His father, Mounir Nasraoui, did not hide his frustration and delivered fiery comments that fueled debate after the ceremony in Paris.

As he left the Théâtre du Châtelet, Nasraoui first addressed Spanish journalists with a blunt promise: “Next year will be ours.” A statement full of both anger and confidence that his son will soon lift the golden trophy.

“Something Very Strange Happened”

The frustration escalated during a video call with El Chiringuito de Jugones. There, Nasraoui stopped short of using the word “robbery,” but made his feelings clear: “I think this is the biggest… I won’t say robbery, but a moral damage to a human being.”

He went on to passionately defend his son’s case: “Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world by far. Not because he’s my son, but because he is. There are no rivals.” He then dropped the phrase that echoed across social media: “Lamine is Lamine Yamal. We have to say that something very strange happened here.”

A Promise of Revenge

Beyond his anger, Nasraoui doubled down on his vow for the future. As he had already said outside the gala, he repeated: “Next year the Ballon d’Or will be Spanish.”

At just 18 years old, Lamine Yamal has plenty of time to fight for the award again. But his father’s words captured the sentiment of many Barcelona fans who believe Dembélé’s win was unjust. The controversy is far from over, and the debate will rage long after the gala.