Carlos Alcaraz picks Barcelona star as his Ballon d’Or winner despite being a Real Madrid fan | OneFootball

As one of the world’s most prominent clubs, FC Barcelona is always being discussed in one way or another. From their displays on the pitch to the club’s brand away from it, the Catalan giants are globally recognized. Moreover, the Barcelona players are also just as noticeable on the global stage.

The Ballon d’Or remains up in the air

Ousmane Dembele is a top contender for the Ballon d’Or this year. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Currently, one of the most debated topics in the football world is related to this year’s Ballon d’Or award. Given annually to the best player in the world as recognized by France Football, it is an award with a prestigious history, and many greats of the game have gone on to win it.

Barcelona, in particular, is the club with the most wins alongside fellow Spanish side Real Madrid when it comes to that particular award. However, in this year’s edition, it is primarily representatives from the Catalan club that are competing for the award alongside stars from French side Paris Saint-Germain.

Carlos Alcaraz backs Barcelona star to win it

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

In a recent interview, famous tennis star Carlos Alcaraz was also asked to give his opinion on this heated debate as he looked to compete at Wimbledon.

As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, the Spaniard picked two Barcelona stars to finish on the podium and one player from PSG.

In first place, he put fellow Spaniard Lamine Yamal as the winner of this year’s edition. With an impressive season for both club and country, the 17-year-old Barcelona star has all the accolades and performances under his belt to make him a deserving winner of the award.

Right after him, Alcaraz decided to put PSG’s star player Ousmane Dembele. Also, a former Barcelona player, the Frenchman has exploded under the mentorship of Luis Enrique this season and boasts arguably the strongest trophy cabinet out of the contenders on Alcaraz’s podium.

Lastly, in third place, the tennis player put Barcelona star and captain Raphinha. The Brazilian forward had a sensational campaign for La Blaugrana, and is arguably the most impressive candidate when it comes to goals and assists throughout the season.

A Real Madrid fan by heart

Interestingly, not a single Real Madrid player was put on the podium. This is worth noting because Carlos Alcaraz has publicly revealed in the past that he supports Real Madrid, and for him to name two Barcelona players on the podium for this year’s Ballon d’Or only goes on to show just how impressive both Raphinha and Yamal have been.

Beyond just the Ballon d’Or, however, there are other things to look forward to as well. Lamine Yamal is already expected to take the number ‘10’ shirt at the club, and Raphinha undeniably remains an untouchable player for Hansi Flick.