|
Lamine Yamal celebrates a goal for Barcelona in 2025. Photo by AP |
In a preview clip from the TV program “Universo Valdano” set to air on Spanish channel Movistar Plus on Sept. 18, Yamal said: “Who would I give it to? The best player in the world. Honestly, as far as the best player in the world is concerned, maybe there are two of us, me and Mbappé. And I think I would deserve it this year because of what I’ve achieved.”
Yamal is among the 30 nominees for the prestigious Ballon d’Or recently announced by France Football magazine. He will face tough competition from Mbappé, Rodri, Harry Kane and several other top performers this season.
Earlier in the week, Yamal maintained a more humble tone, asserting that he would not actively campaign or beg for the award.
“I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team,” he said, as quoted by AFP. “We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more.”
However, Barcelona are actively campaigning for their biggest star. Head coach Hansi Flick has publicly affirmed that Yamal is a special talent who deserves the Ballon d’Or, while club vice-president Rafa Yuste described a victory for Yamal as an act of justice.
The competition heat up after Mbappé recently declared that he deserves the award after a string of individual honors, which include finishing as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the 2026 World Cup.
“My idea of the Ballon d’Or comes from the Messi and Ronaldo era – you don’t give it to ordinary players, you give it to players who are different. I think I did things that were different this year, so I believe I can win it,” Mbappé told The Team.
 |
|
Kylian Mbappé shows fans his Champions League Golden Boot for the 2025-2026 season before Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain, on Sept. 8, 2026. Photo by Reuters |
The French superstar enjoyed a dominant individual season, recording 25 goals in La Liga, 15 in the Champions League, and 10 at the World Cup to reach a record 22 total tournament goals. However, he failed to secure any title. Real Madrid finished second in La Liga, exited early from both the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, and lost the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona. On the international stage, France finished fourth at the World Cup after a 0-2 semifinal loss to Spain and a 4-6 defeat to England in the third-place match.
Meanwhile, Yamal achieved great collective success. The 19-year-old forward recorded 24 goals and 17 assists during the 2025-2026 season, helping Barcelona successfully defend their La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles before securing the World Cup trophy with Spain.
Yamal’s only major disadvantage occurred during the World Cup. Entering the tournament fresh off an injury, he lacked his usual explosiveness and managed only one goal across seven matches. He acknowledged this limitation during the interview on “Universo Valdano”, noting that he gave his all but could not overcome the limit after his recovery.
After the summer, a fully recovered Yamal immediately regained his form, registering seven goals and two assists in the first six matches of the 2026-2027 season.
The Ballon d’Or voting process will be completed by the end of September, with journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings casting their ballots. Each voter will select 10 players from the 30-man shortlist, awarding descending point values from 15 points for their top choice down to a single point for their tenth selection. The player accumulating the highest total score will win the award, with any potential ties broken by the highest number of first-place votes. The awards ceremony will take place on Oct. 26 in London.