Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal has stated that he deserves to be awarded the 2026 Ballon d’Or considering his exploits during the year under review.

He acknowledged that he currently rivals Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé as one of the two best players in the world, given their consistently excellent performances over the years.

However, Yamal argued that when it comes to the Ballon d’Or, he has achieved more both individually and collectively with his team, and therefore deserves the accolade ahead of the Frenchman.

Full list of 2026 Ballon d’Or nominations

“Kylian Mbappé and I, we are the two best in the world… but I think I am the one who deserves to win the Ballon d’Or,” he told Movistar in an interview.

Yamal further noted that winning numerous laurels at such an early age is a remarkable feat in his career, pointing out that even some of the game’s greatest players did not reach such milestones so quickly.

The 2026 World Cup winner emphasized that he is determined to add more trophies to his cabinet and will not become complacent despite his recent successes.

“There are great players like Messi, Cristiano, and Maradona… but I think it’s never happened before that someone has won so much at such an early age. There was Pelé, but in recent times… never, I think.

"People have this mindset that because I’ve won, maybe I’ll relax with my career at some point: no. I know I have a thousand things to do to stay in football history,” he told Movistar.

Both Yamal and Mbappé are among the leading contenders for the prestigious accolade. The Spaniard has won several team trophies, including the World Cup and La Liga, while Mbappé endured a trophyless season but claimed top scorer awards in major competitions such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and La Liga.

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“Sejujurnya, menurutku, sebagai yang terbaik di dunia, mungkin hanya ada dua orang. Tahun ini aku yang pantas mendapatkannya [Ballon d'Or] karena apa yang aku raih. Bagiku, aku dan Mbappé adalah dua pemain terbaik dunia,” wawancara ekslusif Lamine Yamal kepada #UniversoValdano…

— Seputar Real Madrid (@SeputarMadrid) September 14, 2026