Barcelona sensation joint leading candidate to win the Ballon d’Or along with PSG ace | OneFootball

After a phenomenal season under Hansi Flick, it won’t be surprising to see Barcelona players dominate the Ballon d’Or gala this year.

There are multiple Barça stars who have already emerged as strong candidates to win the prestigious trophy, including Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Pedri.

It won’t be surprising at all to see one of them even win the Ballon d’Or this year, though competition could be tough.

Yamal and Dembele leading the race

According to SPORT (h/t FCB World), Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele have emerged as the two leading candidates to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Both players have enjoyed a tremendous campaign, with Yamal notably emerging as Barcelona’s standout player since the turn of the year.

At just 17, Yamal has been involved in 18 goals and 25 assists in 54 competitive matches, making him one of the most productive players in Europe.

Can Yamal beat Dembele in the race for Ballon d’Or (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Although Yamal’s contributions are less than those of his teammate Raphinha, who has recently signed a new contract, it must be noted that the Spaniard also won the European Championship last summer.

As for Dembele, the Frenchman is enjoying the best season of his career, having played a central role in PSG’s success this season.

Dembele has scored 33 goals in all competitions this season, with 13 assists to boot. His contributions have helped PSG secure the league title and reach the final of the UEFA Champions League.

Keeping these factors in mind, the battle between Yamal and Dembele could go down the wire.

As per the report, the upcoming UEFA Nations League semi-final fixture between Spain and France next month could act as the tiebreaker.

However, it must be noted that Dembele is already in the UCL final and winning it could go a long way in helping the Frenchman become the leading candidate for the Ballon d’Or this year, ahead of Yamal and Raphinha.