Jean-Pierre Papin was a legendary striker for Marseille bagging goals season after season and his peak came in 1991 when he won the Ballon d'Or. Injuries went on to derail his career and a move to AC Milan didn't go his way, but it doesn't take away from what he did for Marseille.
The Frenchmen became the first player who won the Ballon d'Or while playing in the French league.
Despite his compatriot, Ousmane Dembele, being the favorite for the award, he has backed Lamine Yamal to win the prize.
Lamine Ballon d'Or?
Papin did an interview with EremNews in which he stated that Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d'Or. He was then asked what about Hakimi or Dembele in which he stated, "No, for me Yamal was the best and he had an exceptional season".
Many will argue that he's just saying this because of the rivalry between Marseille and PSG, but we shouldn't discount the sentiment that Papin shared.
Many footballers and legends have talked about how Lamine's game is entertaining and he may be the best player in the world.
As of now it seems like Dembele is the favorite as he led his team to a treble and finished the season with 35 goals and 16 assists. Lamine Yamal helped lead his team to a domestic treble and finished the season with 18 goals and 25 assists.
With better stats and a treble, it's hard to pick against Dembele but like last year there's always the potential that the voters surprise us with who they believe deserves the award.