Nico Williams Praises Lamine Yamal’s Ballon d’Or Chances After Stellar Spain Display

Nico Williams has thrown his full support behind his close friend and teammate Lamine Yamal for the Ballon d’Or following yet another standout showing for Spain. The young Barcelona forward opened the scoring within the first 75 seconds of Spain’s 4-1 win over Croatia in Sevilla, adding to his early goal against England at Wembley that helped secure a 2-1 victory.

Yamal's rapid rise and impressive performances continue to fuel talk about his candidacy for football’s top individual honor, with voting already complete. For Nico, though, there is no debate to be had—Yamal’s talent makes him the clear front-runner.

Nico Williams on Yamal’s Ballon d’Or Potential

Williams also found the net against Croatia and shared his thoughts about his Barcelona teammate after the match. He encourages Yamal to stay focused on enjoying the game rather than getting distracted by award chatter.

"I tell him to be himself and enjoy it. When he smiles, he plays better. He already shows it every day. The Ballon d’Or doesn’t depend on him, but if not now, then later," said Nico.

He didn’t stop there, emphasizing his belief in Yamal’s deservingness of football’s biggest prize.

"Anyone who understands football knows that Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d’Or. I hope Lamine wins it. If you really know about football, and you really enjoy football, then you know Lamine is the best," Williams stated, according to Fabrizio Romano.

A Friendship Filled with Humor

Off the pitch, the friendship between Yamal and Nico offers lighter moments. Recently, during a shuttle ride, Yamal noticed Nico’s sweaty armpit and turned it into a joke by filming the moment and tagging AXE deodorant on Instagram. The playful clip quickly caught fire on social media, entertaining fans with their easy camaraderie as teammates for Spain.