Today, Yamal updated his YouTube channel to answer questions from fans.
Fan question: How did you feel when Ousmane Dembélé won the Ballon d'Or instead of you?
Yamal: Honestly, to be frank, I thought I was going to win that day. But a lot happened that day. I think it was actually a very good thing for me that Dembélé won. Besides helping me grow as a person, I don't think it was my time yet because I was still a kid, and I probably couldn't truly understand what winning the Ballon d'Or means.
Also, I have a very good relationship with Ousmane (Dembélé). We often go out together, spend time together, and chat a lot. I even spoke to him a few days ago, and he asked how I was doing. So honestly, he's helped me grow a lot as a person. When I'm not in a good place, he helps me pick myself up.
I think I've matured a lot since then, and it's changed a lot of things in my life. I'm really happy for Ousmane. We met at the awards ceremony in Dubai, and you can see we get along really well. We keep in touch from time to time. I hope this year it's my turn (to win the award).
In the 2025 Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembélé won the award for the first time with 1380 points, while Yamal finished second with 1059 points.