I deserve Ballon d’Or-Yamal

Lamine Yamal, the 19-year-old Barcelona winger, is confident he and Kylian Mbappe are the two premier footballers globally and believes he is entitled to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or after an illustrious year with Barcelona and Spain. In an interview, Yamal stated, "For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world," adding, "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."

This accolade is bolstered by Yamal’s contributions to Barcelona’s La Liga triumph and Spain’s World Cup championship earlier in the year. He had initially conveyed a more measured sentiment in a press conference, acknowledging his position after an "incredible" season but refraining from pressuring for votes. Mbappe, the France captain, has also advanced his candidacy, having topped the scoring charts in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup, despite Real Madrid not claiming any major trophies during this period.

Yamal’s Barcelona and Spain teammate Ousmane Dembele, the previous year’s champion, contended that the award should be awarded to a Paris Saint-Germain player, given the French club's recent Champions League victory. Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich striker and England international, is also among the leading favorites to claim the prestigious award, which will be presented in London on October 26.