FULL LIST: Messi, Yamal among 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe has called for the media to decide who deserves the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, following Barcelona's Lamine Yamal's comments. The 19-year-old Yamal has entered the race after what he described as an outstanding year with both Barcelona and Spain. He helped Barcelona retain the La Liga title and Spain secure the FIFA World Cup championship.

Yamal's comments came after Mbappe's own campaign for the award, emphasizing his World Cup performance and claiming the Golden Boot and the tournament's all-time leading goal scorer. Yamal, who finished second in last year's Ballon d'Or voting behind PSG star Ousmane Dembele, said he doesn't need to campaign for the award and is satisfied with his achievements.

He expressed pride in his contributions to both the club and the national team, stating that winning the World Cup and retaining the La Liga title were the highlights of his year. Yamal added that the media's job is to decide the award winner, and he won't beg for anything. The other leading contenders for the award are Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembele, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.