Jakarta, ThedailyID — Lamine Yamal has acknowledged Kylian Mbappe’s quality but remains confident he can win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
The 19-year-old Barcelona star believes his achievements give him a strong case for the individual award.
Yamal helped Barcelona win La Liga and guided Spain to the top of the podium at the World Cup. He considers those achievements key to his Ballon d’Or bid.
“Honestly, I believe we are both the best in the world, and this year I deserve it because of what I have won,” Yamal said, according to Reuters, Tuesday, September 15.
Yamal also placed himself and Mbappe above the other contenders.
“As far as I know, Mbappe and I are the two best players in the world. It is clear to me, and people who watch the games know it,” he said.
His comments came after Mbappe declared himself the best player of the 2025/2026 season last week.
Mbappe finished as the top scorer in both La Liga and the World Cup last season. However, the France international failed to lead Real Madrid or France to titles in those competitions.
Yamal finished second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting. Ousmane Dembele won the award, while Mbappe ranked third.
The three players are again among the nominees for this year’s award. Other notable contenders include Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Rodri, Vinicius Junior, Sadio Mane, Achraf Hakimi and Lionel Messi.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place at London Palladium on October 26.
Football journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings will determine the winner.
