Yamal: I Deserve Ballon d’Or After Trophy-Laden Year

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal believes he deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or after a trophy-laden year with the Spanish giants and the national team.

The 19-year-old also put himself and Kylian Mbappe forward as the two best players in the world ahead of the prestigious individual award.

“For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world,” Yamal said in an interview with Movistar Plus, excerpts of which were published on Sunday.

“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.”

Yamal played a key role as Barcelona retained the La Liga title before helping Spain win the World Cup this summer, further strengthening his claim for the award.

The teenager, who has rapidly established himself as one of the leading players in world football, had adopted a more measured stance at a press conference last Tuesday.

Yamal said he believed he had a chance of winning the Ballon d’Or after an “incredible” season but insisted he would not campaign for votes.

Mbappe has also strengthened his case for the award despite Real Madrid’s failure to win a major trophy.

The France captain finished as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup, putting him firmly among the leading contenders.

Yamal’s Barcelona and Spain team-mate Ousmane Dembele, who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, has backed another Paris Saint-Germain player to retain the prize after the French club successfully defended their Champions League title.

Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is also among the leading contenders for the award.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be presented in London on October 26. AFP