Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal has confidently discussed his chances of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or, insisting that he believes he deserves the prestigious individual award.
Yamal has emerged as one of the leading contenders for this year’s prize after an outstanding campaign with both Barcelona and Spain. The 19-year-old helped Barcelona retain the LaLiga title before playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph.
Yamal whle speaking about the Ballon d’Or race identified Kylian Mbappé as his biggest rival and made it clear that he believes his trophy haul gives him a strong argument for the award.
He said,
“Kylian Mbappe and me are the best two players in the world. But this year, I believe I deserve to win the Ballon d’Or.”
The Barcelona forward also pointed to the contrast between his achievements and Mbappé’s individual numbers. While the Real Madrid star enjoyed a prolific campaign and finished as the top scorer in the World Cup, LaLiga and Champions League, he did not lift a major trophy during the period under consideration.
Yamal, meanwhile, believes winning the World Cup with Spain and LaLiga with Barcelona, alongside his individual performances, puts him in a strong position. The youngster was also second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting behind Ousmane Dembélé, making another appearance near the top of the rankings unsurprising.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London on October 26, with Yamal and Mbappé among the leading names in contention.
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