Yamal, Raphinha speed up in the Golden Ball race

Despite being eliminated from the Champions League, the duo Lamine Yamal and Raphinha still hope to compete for the 2025 Ballon d'Or award.

Barcelona pair shine in El Clasico.

Yamal and Raphinha continued to shine for Barcelona, helping the home team win 4-3 against Real Madrid in round 35 of La Liga early on May 12. Yamal contributed 1 goal with a delicate finish, while Raphinha scored 2 goals against Thibaut Courtois.

This season, Yamal has made a strong impression with 16 goals. He scored in important matches such as the 4-0 win in La Liga, 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup and 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final.

Raphinha has also been outstanding with 34 goals this season, including 18 in La Liga. The Brazilian striker is having the best season of his career.

In Goal 's 2025 Ballon d'Or race rankings, Yamal and Raphinha are ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively. The elimination from the Champions League is a key factor that makes Barcelona's attacking duo inferior to PSG's Ousmane Dembele.

Dembele is still the number one candidate to win the Golden Ball. Photo: Reuters .

With 33 goals and 11 assists this season, Dembele's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or are increasingly clear. The former Barcelona striker has also won Ligue 1 and is preparing for a treble this year, if PSG maintain their current form.

For many years, the Ballon d'Or award has gone to players who have won major trophies. In 2025, there will be no major international tournaments (World Cup or Euro), so club performance will be the main factor. Therefore, winning the Champions League will give players more chances to win.

Spanish media remain optimistic about Yamal and Raphinha's chances. Barcelona also had a good season, winning the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup and are on track to win La Liga this year.

Yamal's top performance In the early morning of May 1, Yamal played impressively against Inter in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at Lluis Companys Stadium.

Source: https://znews.vn/yamal-raphinha-tang-toc-trong-cuoc-dua-qua-bong-vang-post1552706.html