Lamine Yamal Claims Ballon d'Or Censure with Kylian Mbappe as Main Rival

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal believes he would be a deserved winner of the Ballon d’Or this year following his World Cup success with Spain and La Liga glory with Barcelona, identifying Real Madrid rival Kylian Mbappe as his closest competitor.

“I honestly believe there are two of us who are the best in the world, and this year I’d deserve it because of what I’ve won,” Lamine stated in an interview clip shared by Spanish streaming platform Movistar.

France striker Mbappe finished as top scorer at the World Cup, La Liga, and the Champions League, asserting last week that no player outperformed him last season despite failing to secure any silverware.

Meanwhile, Lamine was named La Liga’s best player in 2025-26 as Barcelona defended their title, later starring as Spain defeated Mbappe’s France in the World Cup semifinal on the way to lifting the trophy in North America.

Other contenders include Ousmane Dembele, who believes the award should stay with a Paris Saint-Germain player, and Bayern Munich striker and England international Harry Kane. The winner will be announced in London on October 26.