FC Barcelona star Aitana Bonmatí, fresh off winning her second Ballon d’Or, shared a fun moment from the ceremony with rising talent Lamine Yamal, who seems to have his sights set on the prestigious award in the future.
Bonmatí, who made history with her remarkable 2023-24 season, revealed that Yamal, attending to receive the Kopa Trophy for the best young player, was careful not to touch her Ballon d’Or trophy. “He asked if it had my name on it,” Bonmatí said with a smile.
So, I asked him if he wanted to touch it, but he quickly replied, ‘I won’t touch it—that’s a jinx.
Avoiding touching trophies as a superstition may be common on the field, but it’s rarely seen for individual awards. Yamal’s caution suggests he’s already thinking of his own Ballon d’Or aspirations, likely using Bonmatí’s achievements as motivation.
Bonmatí’s incredible year saw her lead Barça to four titles, including the UEFA Champions League, and secure a UEFA Nations League title. Adding to her accolades, she’s the reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, marking her as one of the game’s all-time greats.
Yamal, meanwhile, showed respect and admiration for Bonmatí’s achievement, setting his sights on what could be a bright future—and, perhaps one day, his own Ballon d’Or.
