Lamine Yamal Declines to Campaign for Ballon d'Or

Lamine Yamal, a 19-year-old winger for Barcelona, has declared he will not actively seek votes for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, expressing pride in his achievements with both Spain and Barcelona. Yamal was instrumental in Spain's World Cup victory and Barcelona's La Liga title retention.

He finished second in last year’s Ballon d'Or voting behind Ousmane Dembélé. Yamal emphasized that he is not concerned with campaigning for the award, stating, “I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year.” He faces competition from notable players such as Kylian Mbappé, Dembélé, Harry Kane, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Yamal has returned to form after a hamstring injury and is looking forward to Barcelona's Champions League campaign, starting against Feyenoord. Coach Hansi Flick praised Yamal's match-influencing abilities and his enjoyment of the game, which has contributed to his high performance level.

The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London.