Yamal claims Ballon d’Or merit and names Mbappe as rival
Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal says his season makes him a deserving candidate, while identifying Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe as his closest competitor.
Lamine Yamal has claimed he deserves to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, citing reported success with Barcelona and Spain, according to Al Jazeera.
Yamal named Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe as his main rival, saying the pair were “the two best in the world”. His comments were shared in an interview clip by Spanish streaming platform Movistar.
Yamal was reportedly named La Liga’s best player in 2025–26 after Barcelona retained the title. He later played a key role in Spain’s reported World Cup victory in North America.
Mbappe was reported to have been the leading scorer at the World Cup, in La Liga and in the Champions League, but did not win silverware. Yamal also said last week that he had a chance of winning after an “incredible” season, while declining to plead for votes.
Yamal finished runner-up to Ousmane Dembele last year. Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is also among the reported favourites. The winner has not yet been decided, with the award scheduled to be presented in London on 26 October.
