Yamal, 19, finished behind Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and winner Harry Kane of Bayern Munich in the Ballon d'Or race.
"[Ballon d'Or recipient] Harry Kane's stats have been excellent, but I wanted a Spaniard to win it and I think he [Yamal] deserved it," Torres said. "But if it wasn't to be this year, it will be very soon because Lamine is very close. I'm sure he'll maintain his form or improve on it."
Torres, however, would choose his former Villarreal teammate Rodri as the one player he would pick if his club could take one player from Barcelona.
Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, joined Barça in the summer from Manchester City after helping Spain lift the World Cup. "I'd take Rodri, because he completely dominates the midfield," Torres said. "He brings so much to the team both defensively and offensively, and in his position he's the best in the world."
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Torres, in his fourth season at Villa, is dreaming big. A two-time Europa League under coach Unai Emery at Villarreal and Villa, Torres said: "I sometimes tell Unai that we've already won two Europa Leagues and that we have to try and go for the big one -- the Champions League."
"It's a very difficult task and we know we're by no means favourites or contenders for the title. But we know we can compete with anyone if we're at our very best."