Yamal Claims Rivalry with Mbappe for Ballon d'Or

Lamine Yamal stated that his achievements, including winning the World Cup with Spain and securing the LaLiga title with Barcelona, should position him favorably against Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid in the Ballon d'Or race. Yamal emphasized that he and Mbappe are the two best players in the world, asserting, "I’d deserve it because of what I’ve won." He was recognized as LaLiga’s best player in the 2025-26 season, contributing significantly to Barcelona's title defense.

Meanwhile, Mbappe was the top scorer in the World Cup, LaLiga, and the Champions League but did not secure any trophies last season. Yamal was the runner-up to Ousmane Dembele for the award last year, while Mbappe placed third in 2023, when Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or for a record eighth time.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26.