Barcelona's Lamine Yamal Claims Ballon d'Or Over Mbappe

Lamine Yamal, a winger for Barcelona, has expressed his belief that he deserves the 2026 Ballon d'Or ahead of Kylian Mbappe. The 19-year-old has played a crucial role for Spain, contributing to their World Cup victory against France and their Euro 2024 win.

Yamal made history as the first teenager to participate in both a European Championship and World Cup final. His individual performance has been notable, with 22 goals and 9 assists this calendar year, ranking him behind only Harry Kane and Michael Olise in direct goal involvements.

Yamal scored a brace in Barcelona's 4-2 victory over Levante and is only the second player in the 21st Century to score three braces in his team's first five LaLiga games, following Lionel Messi in the 2012-13 season. In an interview with Movistar, Yamal stated, “I believe I have every right to be awarded the prize,” emphasizing the strength of his titles and performance compared to Mbappe.