Rashford backs Lamine Yamal to win Ballon d’Or

Marcus Rashford has tipped Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal to go on and win the Ballon d’Or, insisting the teenager’s talent set him apart from his peers.

The England forward, who joined Barça on loan from Manchester United this summer, says he has been struck by the 17-year-old’s ability since linking up with Hansi Flick’s squad.

Speaking to Sport, Rashford said: “Yes, definitely. If you don’t win it this year, you’ll win it in the future. Lamine is so young that he is sure to win it.

“He’s a top talent, a top player. The most surprising thing is how mature he is for his age. How he thinks and plays is well above his years.”

Rashford also admitted that adapting to life at Barcelona has been made easier by the quality of teammates like Yamal.

“It’s exciting to play with him and others as well. I will make mistakes, but I will also learn a lot and improve. The quality of the players helps a lot,” he added.

Rashford made his La Liga debut in a 3-0 win over Real Mallorca and will be hoping to build on that as Barça prepare to face Levante on Saturday.