Yamal: I deserve to win the Ballon d'Or and compete with Mbappé for the best title

The Spanish Lamine Yamal, star of FC Barcelona, has stated that he sees himself as deserving of the Ballon d'Or for 2026, pointing out that his performances over the past period make him one of the top contenders for the award.

Yamal said in statements to the Spanish channel Movistar: "I believe now that I deserve to win the Ballon d'Or this year, considering what I have achieved. For me, Kylian Mbappé and I are the best players in the world, and anyone who has watched the matches knows that."

The Spanish star also spoke about his level during the FIFA World Cup, admitting that he was not completely satisfied with what he delivered in the tournament, despite contributing to helping his national team. He said: "After the FIFA World Cup, I was not satisfied with myself. It is true that I was returning from injury, but that is not an excuse for what I delivered. I know that I was capable of giving more."

He added: "I have done many things that people may not have noticed. For example, for the coach, having a player who can draw three defenders with him is really great. Yes, I helped the team, but I believed I could offer more, which is why I am very excited and looking forward to the next tournament."

Speaking about his ambitions in the world of football, Yamal has set himself a historic challenge, stating: "There are historic players like Messi, Cristiano, and Maradona, but I believe no one has ever won this amount of things at such a young age."

Barcelona star Kylian Mbappé concluded with a clear message regarding his future ambitions: "People think that since I have already won, I might relax at some point, but I know there are a thousand things I need to do to etch my name in the history of football."