Barcelona forward Gabriel Jesus was interviewed by Sport. In a preview of the interview released earlier, Jesus said that Yamal has what it takes to win the Ballon d'Or.

Jesus's first goal for Barcelona came partly thanks to Yamal. Jesus scored with a header, but Yamal provided the perfect assist for what turned out to be Barcelona's fifth goal in their Champions League opener against Feyenoord.

After scoring, Jesus celebrated in his usual way, mimicking a phone call to his mother. His mother calls him every time he scores, and the Brazilian forward said it's his way of showing appreciation to her. "When I score, I'm reminded of the days I skipped school to watch Barcelona's Champions League matches," he said about the goal.

"I used to go to school, and now I'm at Barcelona, scoring in the Champions League. For me, being able to score here is a dream," Jesus said.

So this dream and the subsequent phone call owe a debt partly to Yamal. Yamal will be in the spotlight just weeks before the Ballon d'Or ceremony. He's a strong candidate for this year's award, despite Madrid's efforts to push Mbappé for the honour. Yamal himself previously stated in an interview that he believes both he and Mbappé are the world's finest players.

Jesus shares a similar view, but he knows exactly who he would choose.

The Brazilian forward joined Manchester City and Arsenal after playing for Palmeiras before finally achieving his dream of wearing Barcelona colors. He didn't hesitate to rank Yamal among the elite: "I've had the opportunity to train with many great players, and he's one of the best I've trained and played alongside." Speaking about the Barcelona academy graduate's style of play, Jesus said: "Everything he does looks easy; it appears so natural."

So when asked, "Should Yamal win the Ballon d'Or?" Jesus's answer came as no surprise: "Yes, of course. Based on his performances and his level this season, I think Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d'Or."

Jesus, like many others, believes Yamal is already the world's best player. Beyond his ability and individual talent, Yamal has won a league title with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain. Coming to this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony with such a record is more than respectable. This year's ceremony is moving from Paris to London.

Jesus also gave special praise to Raphinha, who now plays alongside him at Barcelona: "Rapha is playing really well as a striker; he has the ability to play in that position and he's proving it with goals, which is what matters most. Of course, the season is still long, and I'll have time to play as well."

On his teammate's performances, Jesus said: "I'm not surprised. I knew Raphinha when he started playing for Brazil, and I loved his finishing, his shot, and his technique even back then. He has great dribbling ability and a powerful shot. I knew from the start that wherever you put him—striker, right winger, left winger, or attacking midfielder—he would excel."

Jesus, currently Barcelona's number 9, also discussed Lewandowski, the Champions League, Flick, Guardiola, Barcelona's dressing room, and his adaptation to the club and city. The full interview will be released at 3 a.m. Beijing time (CEST).

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