Zlatan Ibrahimovic Backs Barcelona for Double as Lamine Yamal Draws Ballon d’Or Favor
Former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has backed Barcelona to secure a La Liga and Champions League double this season, while tipping 19-year-old winger Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or, according to a quick-fire segment shared by ESPN FC on October 2, 2026.
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- Lamine Yamal’s status as a leading contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is reinforced by sustained goal contributions at the start of the campaign.
Ibrahimovic Predicts European Dominance for Flick’s Side
Speaking in a quick-fire segment shared by ESPN FC, Ibrahimovic was asked to pick his winners for La Liga, the Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or. When queried on his prediction for the Spanish championship, the former forward replied concisely, “Barcelona.” When subsequently asked to name his Champions League pick, he offered the exact same response. Coming from Ibrahimovic, who spent the 2009-10 season at the Camp Nou, the remarks represent a considerable show of faith in Hansi Flick’s current squad.
Under Flick, the Catalan club are currently navigating year three of their sporting project and have displayed seemingly unbeatable form at the campaign’s outset. Barça were steamrolling opponents for fun before the international break and will hope to maintain that form once club football resumes. While the squad aims to secure a third successive domestic crown, the Champions League stands out as the prize that could elevate this youthful roster’s progression to new heights.
Lamine Yamal Emerges as Ballon d’Or Frontrunner
When the Ballon d’Or question arrived in the ESPN FC segment, the Swede backed Barça’s teenage superstar: “Lamine Yamal.” The selection highlights the intense discussion surrounding the award amid a sensational season and a World Cup. At only 19 years of age, veteran figures in the sport are hailing the winger not merely as the game’s upcoming icon, but actively as the planet’s premier footballer right now.
Lamine has registered 11 goals and seven assists across his opening 10 appearances for Barcelona and Spain. Everyone expects this to be the season in which European glory returns to the Camp Nou, though it remains to be seen how things play out.
