Which Barcelona player would get 'maximum points' for Ballon d'Or - ahead of Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha?

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Barcelona legend Pedro has backed a current Blaugrana player to win the Ballon d'Or. Paris Saint-Germain stars Vitinha and Nuno Mendes' candidacy have been given weight by their success in the UEFA Champions League and Nations League, but Pedro thinks there is a midfielder that stands above Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha as frontrunner for the award.

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Former Barcelona winger Pedro has had his say on the hot topic that is the Ballon d’Or race.

The 37-year-old, who now plies his trade at Serie A side Lazio, was a La Masia graduate and went on to represent the Catalan giants 358 times in an illustrious seven-year spell, scoring 109 goals.

Paris Saint-Germain winning the UEFA Champions League has elevated many of their stars up the pecking order for the Ballon d’Or.

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For Pedro, though, the winner should not come from the French capital but instead from his old club.

He told Spanish outlet Sport: "I would give Pedri maximum points, then Lamine Yamal and then maybe the other candidates out there are [Ousmane] Dembele and Raphinha."

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The three-time Champions League winner began his football journey at local club San Isidro in Tenerife, which happens to be where Pedri was also born.

"I would love Pedri to win, for us it is a pride and pleasure to have another player from Tenerife and the Canary Islands at the elite level of football, leading it like he leads it, with exemplary behaviour and always giving his all on the pitch," Pedro added.

"For me, there is no doubt, he is the best in the world in his position."

Pedri played 59 times in total for Barcelona last season, scoring six goals and assisting eight times, as they went on to achieve a domestic double, winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey, in which he scored in the final.

The Catalan giants were, however, defeated in the semi-finals of the Champions League by Internazionale, who were dismantled by PSG in a heavy 5-0 loss in Munich.

That defeat for Barcelona and PSG’s subsequent success saw Pedri’s chances slip, especially when Spain were beaten in the Nations League final by Portugal, which has seen Vitinha's stock surge in the race for the Ballon d'Or.

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Despite achieving significant success in the game with Spain, Barcelona, Chelsea and now Lazio, Pedro has always been overshadowed when it has come to award nights. But in the twilight of his career, he is looking to go out on a high.

"I would like to enjoy this last year with Lazio," he said.

"I would like us to be in a good position from the start and, as I have always said, I would like to leave with another title - I know it's difficult, but I will do my best.

"My big goal is to retire happy, with my family enjoying my final games and, of course, with the idea of continuing in something related to football. After such a long time, we won't lose that bond."

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