Young Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi has shared his high hopes for his teammate Lamine Yamal, expressing that he firmly believes the striker has what it takes to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

A star in the making, Yamal has demonstrated exceptional skills, capturing the attention of fans and critics alike and, according to Cubarsi, his skills on the field are a rare combination and he possesses the talent necessary to reach the top of the awards. individual football. .

“Lamine Yamal can win the Ballon d’Or. Now everyone sees who Lamine is, but I have known him for a long time. “He has the skills to do it.” he said RAC1.

Reflections on the drama of the Ballon d’Or

Cubarsi also reflected on his recent experience attending the Ballon d’Or Gala. The event, which celebrates the best footballers in the world, gave him the opportunity to see the impressive level of the competition up close.

Speaking specifically of Vinicius Jr., he noted that reaching the top 10 or even the top 20 in the Ballon d’Or rankings is a notable achievement for any footballer.

He mentioned that while Vinicius is a phenomenal talent, the competition was incredibly close, especially with players like Rodri also in contention.

“Being among the top 10 or 20 for the Ballon d’Or is already a good award and a footballer needs to be there.

“Dani Olmo and I were there without winning it. “I wasn’t surprised that Vinicius didn’t win, he was very even with Rodri.” he pointed out.

Offside traps and idols

Cubarsi then shared his thoughts on Barcelona’s defensive strategieshighlighting the importance of communication when executing an effective offside trap.

He noted that Barça’s defense relies heavily on perfect coordination to detect opponents’ offside, a skill that has become a key strength for the team.

“It’s a matter of communication” he stated.

He also named two legendary defenders as role models: Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué. Although he did not have the opportunity to see Puyol’s career in detail, Puyol’s dedication to Barcelona left a lasting impression on him.

Piqué also serves as a guiding figure for Cubarsi, despite having a brief spell at Manchester United before returning to Barcelona to become a club icon.

“(My role models are) Puyol and Piqué, although I didn’t see Puyol play much. “I hope I can spend my entire career at Barça like them, although Gerard was only at Manchester United for a short time at the beginning.” said.