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Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has declared that he deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, saying his trophy-laden year with Barcelona and Spain gives him a strong claim to the prestigious individual award.
Yamal also identified Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé as his main rival, insisting that the pair are currently the two best players in the world.
“For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world,” the 19-year-old 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,” he added.
Yamal played a key role as Barcelona retained the La Liga title before helping Spain win the World Cup this summer, strengthening his case for the award. Barcelona’s official record also lists the 2025/26 La Liga title and Spain’s 2026 World Cup among his honours.
The teenager had adopted a more measured position last week, saying he had enjoyed an “incredible” season but would not beg journalists to vote for him. He finished second behind Ousmane Dembélé in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting.
Mbappé has also mounted a strong case. The France captain finished as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup, although Real Madrid ended the campaign without a major trophy.
Yamal’s Barcelona teammate and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Dembélé, however, believes the award should remain with a Paris Saint-Germain player after the French club retained the Champions League.
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is also among the leading contenders for the award, which will be presented in London on October 26.
