Barcelona and Spain sensation Lamine Yamal has turned up the heat in the race for football’s ultimate individual prize, boldly declaring that he deserves to lift the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Fresh off a monumental campaign where he steered Barcelona to another La Liga crown—winning the league’s Best Player award [cite: —and later conquered the world with Spain at the FIFA World Cup, the 19-year-old forward made it clear that his glittering collection of silverware sets him apart.
Speaking in an interview with Movistar Plus, Yamal narrowed the globe’s elite down to a tight two-man conversation:
“For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world,” Yamal stated. “I honestly think that, as the best in the world, maybe there are two of us, and this year I would deserve it because of what I’ve won.”
The statement throws fresh fuel into a crowded contest ahead of the official gala in London on October 26, 2026. While Yamal points to major collective trophies, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe—who finished as top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup alongside reigning holder Ousmane Dembélé and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane are all laying heavy claims to the golden trophy.
