Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal believes he deserves the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He puts himself and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe at the front of the race for this big award.
Yamal feels his case is strong because of Barcelona’s La Liga win and Spain’s World Cup triumph. He thinks Mbappe's claims rest mostly on his goal-scoring numbers, even though Real Madrid did not win any major trophy last season.
“I honestly believe there are two of us who are the best in the world, and this year I’d deserve it because of what I’ve won.
“As far as I’m concerned, Mbappe and I are the two best in the world. It’s clear to me, and everyone who watches the matches knows it,” Yamal said in an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus+. Excerpts of this interview came out before the full show on Monday.
Yamal was named the best player in La Liga for the 2025-26 season. He helped Barcelona keep the title and played an important role in Spain’s World Cup victory in North America.
Last week, the 19-year-old was more careful with his words. He said he believed he had a chance to win the award but would not ask for votes.
On the other hand, Mbappe has openly supported his own chances after an excellent season. He was the top scorer at the World Cup, in La Liga, and in the Champions League.
The France captain said last week that he did not think any player had a better season than him. He also noted that the Ballon d’Or is an individual award, even though team success is important.
Yamal and Mbappe have already met on the biggest stages. Spain beat France in the World Cup semi-final and went on to win the tournament.
In last year’s Ballon d’Or voting, Yamal was the runner-up to Ousmane Dembele. Mbappe finished third in 2023 when Lionel Messi won the award for a record eighth time.
The winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or will be announced in London on October 26.
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