Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has made a confident case for himself in the race for this year’s Ballon d’Or, insisting that his performances and trophy haul make him deserving of the prestigious individual award.

The 19-year-old finished second in last year’s voting behind Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé and has since continued to establish himself among the world’s leading players.

Yamal enjoyed an impressive domestic campaign last season, scoring 16 goals in La Liga and earning the league’s Player of the Season award as Barcelona successfully defended their league title.

His influence has carried into the new campaign, with the teenager already registering eight goals and four assists in seven appearances across all competitions.

Speaking to Movistar, Yamal acknowledged that Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé represents a major challenge for the award but maintained that he believes he has done enough to claim it. “I think there could be Mbappé and me as best player in the world and this year, I believe I deserve it,” Yamal said.

The Barcelona star also pointed to the rivalry between himself and Mbappé, who plays for Barcelona’s biggest domestic rivals, Real Madrid, arguing that his success in terms of trophies gives him another point of difference. “Mbappé plays for Real Madrid and I play for Barça, so we have a direct rivalry… and I’ve beaten him in terms of trophies,” he added.

Mbappé and Kane Toughen the Competition

While Yamal has put forward his own case, Mbappé has an equally compelling individual record heading into the Ballon d’Or discussion.

The Frenchman enjoyed a remarkable scoring campaign, winning the Pichichi award as La Liga’s leading scorer. He also finished as the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, while his performances and 10 goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup earned him the Adidas Golden Boot.

Those three scoring achievements across Spain’s top flight, Europe’s premier club competition and the World Cup give Mbappé a distinctive statistical argument in the race.

Yamal, however, does not believe the Ballon d’Or should be determined solely by which player collects the most team trophies before adding that the two of them have been the best players during the year under review.

“Even if England had won the World Cup, I’d still say that Mbappé and I are the two best players in the world. The Ballon d’Or isn’t about who wins, it’s for the best player. It’s different concept.”
Lamine Yamal

Harry Kane has also emerged as another prominent contender following an outstanding season for Bayern Munich and England.

The England captain produced prolific numbers for Bayern, continuing his reputation as one of Europe’s most consistent goalscorers while playing a central role in the German club’s campaign.

Kane scored 73 goals for club and country while winning the European golden shoe for being a highest scoring player in the whole of Europe.

His contribution for the national team has further strengthened his individual credentials.

The presence of Yamal, Mbappé and Kane highlights the different dimensions of this year’s Ballon d’Or debate.

Yamal can point to his creative influence, domestic success and growing importance at Barcelona, while Mbappé has the weight of extraordinary scoring achievements across three major competitions. Kane, meanwhile, brings another season of elite-level goalscoring for both club and country.

The personal belief for Yamal is already clear. He wants the award and sees himself alongside Mbappé at the summit of world football.

Yamal Relishing El Clássico

Lamine Yamal’s confidence extends beyond the individual prize, with the teenager also looking forward to another meeting with Real Madrid and Mbappé in El Clásico. “I want to face Real Madrid in El Clásico. I’d really love that,” Yamal said. “If you come from La Masia, you know El Clásico feels like a battle.”

Rodro and Lamine Yamal in action for FC Barcelona

Real Madrid and Barcelona will square off in the first El Clássico of the season on October 25.

The Catalans have dominated the recent meetings in the fixture including beating Los Blanco in the final of the Spanish Super Cup twice.

With another El Clásico encounter looming and the Ballon d’Or debate gathering momentum, Yamal will have an opportunity to continue building the case he has already made for himself.