Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has thrown his support behind teammate Lamine Yamal as his pick for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
This is despite fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembele also being in contention.
France Football confirmed the nominees earlier this month, with Barcelona represented by Pedri, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Yamal, who is also shortlisted for the Kopa Trophy.
PSG forward Dembele, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the frontrunners after a prolific campaign in France.
Yamal, 18, registered 18 goals and 21 assists across all competitions last season as Barcelona secured a domestic treble under Hansi Flick.
Dembele outscored him with 33 goals and 13 assists for PSG, who capped their year with a first-ever UEFA Champions League triumph.
Kounde, who plays alongside Yamal at club level and lines up with Dembele for France, admitted the choice was not straightforward.
“You put me in a delicate situation, because there is also Dembele in the running,” he told Le10Sport.
“But, what I would say is that I think Lamine Yamal deserves it. I have a very good relationship with him. He’s a team player, he works a lot for the team. He needs energy to attack, and I understand him perfectly.”
Yamal has already carried his form into the new season, scoring a stunning goal in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Mallorca on the opening weekend of La Liga.