Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has become one of the most closely followed young players in football, and the 19-year-old now sits at the centre of the Ballon d’Or conversation.
After helping Spain win the FIFA 2026 World Cup and guiding Barcelona to a La Liga title, Yamal has a strong case for the sport’s most prestigious individual honour.
No teenager has previously won the Ballon d’Or, and Yamal is attempting to become the youngest winner in its history.
Yamal’s Double: World Cup Glory and La Liga Success
Very few players have produced such a prolific season.
In 2025-26, the winger won the FIFA 2026 World Cup with Spain, only days after his 19th birthday. His success in North America came after Barcelona’s La Liga title triumph.
While an injury-affected campaign meant Yamal did not dominate on his World Cup debut—he scored once and provided an assist—the youngster enjoyed far more success on club duty.
Yamal recorded 22 goals and 15 assists in 38 league appearances and played a major role in Barcelona’s title defence. He was also part of the Spanish Super Cup-winning squad.
Yamal and Mbappe: The Ballon d’Or Debate
The World Cup and league titles strengthened Yamal’s Ballon d’Or claim.
Bookmakers currently place him among the top three contenders, alongside Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race has been described as the closest in decades, but Yamal has been confident about winning, naming Mbappe as his main rival.
“For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world,” the winger said in an interview on Movistar Plus.
“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.
The self-promotion by players is a relatively recent development in a team sport where the top individual prize once received little attention until it was time to present it.
But now, the Ballon d’Or dominates football conversations during the following season, and the award, despite carrying no cash prize, brings greater status and worth.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said he would have preferred Yamal not to speak about the award, but accepted it as part of the winger’s self-belief.
“He’s exceptional, and it’s a part of this … I would not prefer this, but he’s doing this. He has self-confidence; he wants to win the Ballon d’Or.”
Yamal was nominated for the third time and finished runner-up to Ousmane Dembele of PSG in the 2025 Ballon d’Or race.
Yamal vs Mbappe vs Kane
Monday’s ceremony in London is likely to centre on a three-way battle between Yamal, Mbappe and Kane.
It is an interesting contest between three players at different stages of their careers: one in his teens, one in his 20s and one in his 30s.
Yamal has publicly challenged Mbappe, but he believes his trophies will help him beat the Frenchman, who has struggled to add to his collection.
On an individual basis, however, Mbappe’s statistics were far stronger than Yamal’s.
Yamal scored 25 goals and provided 20 assists for club and country. Mbappe scored 58 goals and provided 13 assists. The 27-year-old also finished as La Liga and Champions League top scorer, lifted the World Cup’s Golden Boot and broke the all-time goals record with 22.
Kane, meanwhile, was in a class of his own. His 73 goals last season were the best tally by a footballer since Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2011-12.
Yamal’s Ballon d’Or bid may have the trophies, but his solo displays have not matched those of senior players such as Mbappe and Kane.
Kane’s goal-scoring record is difficult to ignore, but Yamal said the Ballon d’Or should go to the best player in the world, full stop.
“The Ballon d’Or should go to the best player in the world, full stop,” he said. “Not to a player who has scored 80 goals, because if you score 80 goals, you get the top scorer award for that,” Yamal added, seemingly taking a dig at Kane.
“Those are two completely different things that people do not understand.”
Yamal’s fate now rests with a jury of journalists from 100 countries whose votes will decide whether he can become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner, surpassing Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario, who was 21 when he won in 1997.
After winning the Kopa Trophy for best Young Talent twice, Yamal will hope the third time brings the ultimate individual prize.
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