Ballon d'Or 2025: Marcus Rashford on why Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele should be favourites to win prestigious prize
Updated 21/06/2025 at 22:37 GMT+1
Manchester United's Marcus Rashford has spoken about the Ballon d'Or battle between Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele and who he thinks should win. The England international also said that he would like to play alongside Barcelona's Yamal. Rashford looks set for a summer move after returning to Old Trafford following a loan spell with Aston Villa in the second half of last season.
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The 2025 Ballon d’Or looks like it is going to be a two-way battle between the pair.
Yamal, 17, starred for Barcelona last season as they won the domestic treble, while Dembele was outstanding for Paris Saint-Germain as they also claimed a historic treble, including winning their first UEFA Champions League title.
Marcus Rashford, who excelled as a teenager for Manchester United, has been impressed with Yamal’s achievements at such a young age.
"It’s difficult to put into words what he is doing because he’s not supposed to be doing that at 16, 17," Rashford told YouTube channel XBuyer.
"He is playing at 17 at the highest level, I don’t think we have seen it.
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"To have this mentality is a skill. It is not normal to be able to do what he does, not only now because he will keep improving. In three years’ time we don’t know what we are going to say about him."
Asked about the battle for the Ballon d’Or between Yamal and Dembele, Rashford said: "If you look at it just from football ability I think he [Yamal] has to win, but then if you look at Dembele with the Champions League win...it depends how you see it.
"I wouldn’t be disappointed whichever of them won."
Rashford has been linked with a move to Barcelona with his future up in the air.
He is under contract with United until 2028 but spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa after seemingly falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim.
Quizzed on whether he would want to play with Yamal, he said: "Yeah, sure.
"Everybody in the world wants to play with the best. So hopefully, we'll see..."
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Rashford also said he is now "more comfortable" playing as a central forward rather than on the wing.
"For me as I've got older, the No. 9 position is becoming more comfortable, more natural," he added.
"Things like playing with back to goal is becoming easier for me, you're always in front of the goal and always dangerous."
Rashford is currently training in Marbella as he prepares for the 2025/26 season.
"Spain is nice, it's not too far from home," he said in another hint that he would be keen on a move to La Liga.
"If I'm training over a long period, my family can come for a few days, it's a nice location and good weather."
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