Hansi Flick backs 'self-confident' Lamine Yamal Ballon d'Or bid

[p]The 19-year-old forward, who won the World Cup with Spain andLa Liga with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barca[/a] last season, said Sunday he believes he deserves the individual accolade.[/p][p]Lamine claimed in an interview with Movistar that he and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] were the two best players in the world and that his teams' success should put him first, when the award is decided on October 26th.[/p][p]"[b]I think he's honest, has the self-confidence and shows in the beginning of the season how good he is[/b]," Flick told reporters.[/p][image alt="Lamine Yamal's LaLiga stats last season" id="4dec7a25-7b5c-4b35-ae53-f2e5bd7d8686" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0ca5f716-216a-491c-af21-f1be8df57590" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Lamine has scored seven goals in Barca's last four games, helping the Catalan giants maintain a 100 percent start to the season.[/p][p]Flick said although he would have preferred the teenager not to have spoken about it, he accepts it as part of the winger's self-belief.[/p][p]"[b]He's exceptional and it's a part of this... I would not prefer this, but he's doing this. He has self-confidence, he wants to win the Ballon d'Or[/b].[/p][p]"[b]As a player it's an important thing. He's honest, it's his feeling and we have to accept it. I will support him of course[/b]."[/p][h2]Everyone goes 'wow'[/h2][p]Flick said Lamine's confidence was also what makes him such a spectacular player to watch.[/p][p]The youngster made his debut for the club at 15 years old and finished as runner-up in last year's Ballon d'Or award behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a].[/p][p]"[b]He also shows his self-confidence on the pitch and for us this is important[/b]," continued Flick.[/p][p]"[b]We all want him to play how he plays, and this is a style of confidence. One against one, or two, or three... everyone in the stadium goes 'wow'. This is Lamine and I will support him[/b].[/p][p]"[b]It's amazing to have a player like him. When he's of the opinion he deserves it, I think also he deserves it. He won two titles with us, the World Cup with Spanish national team, why not?[/b][/p][p]"[b]There's a lot of world class players on the list, so it's not easy. They will decide and I'll be very happy when it's finished[/b]."[/p][embed guid="59b4b41b-a6dd-41d2-bdfc-6b186c0865e8" url="https://x.com/MPlusDeportes/status/2099247390121177128" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] and England striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-harry/v5HSlEAa/"]Harry Kane[/a] is also among the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or.[/p][p]LaLiga leaders Barca welcome promoted side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/racing-santander/nVpEwOrl/"]Racing Santander[/a] to Camp Nou [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/racing-santander-nVpEwOrl/?mid=bDWq2kBG"]on Wednesday[/a] as they bid to maintain their perfect start to the season.[/p][p]Barcelona's rebuilt stadium will host the Champions League final in 2029, European football governing body UEFA announced earlier Tuesday.[/p][p]Flick, whose contract with the club ends in 2028, said he did not know if he would still be managing Barca by then.[/p][p]"[b]I'm 100 percent there... as a coach or as a supporter of Barca[/b]," said the coach.[/p][p]"[b]We never know what happens. Football is very fast. I enjoy staying in Barcelona, coaching Barca, this is a fantastic team, but in the end you don't know what happens[/b]."[/p]