Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has publicly stated his desire to win the 'Ballon d'Or' award this year.
The 19-year-old Barcelona winger expressed in an interview with Movistar Plus that he and Kylian Mbappé are the best players in the world. He believes he deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or due to his successful season with FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
Yamal noted: 'For me and Mbappé, we are the two best players in the world,' he said in the interview, fragments of which were published on Sunday. He added that, as one of the best in the world, he deserves the award this year because of his achievements.
Thanks to Yamal, Barcelona was able to retain the La Liga title, and the Spanish national team won the championship title this summer, which strengthens the player's claim for the most prestigious individual recognition in football.
Earlier, on Tuesday at a press conference, Yamal spoke more reservedly, stating that he had a chance after an 'incredible' season, but did not intend to beg voters for votes.
The captain of the French national team finished the season as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup, although Real Madrid could not win a major trophy. Ousmane Dembélé, PSG star and last year's award winner, who is a teammate of Mbappé in the French national team, believes the award should remain with the PSG player after the French club retained the Champions League title.
Harry Kane, the striker for Bayern Munich and England national team player, is also among the favorites for the award. The ceremony will take place in London on October 26.
On Sunday, Yamal scored twice, helping Barcelona secure a convincing 4-2 victory over Levante in La Liga, thus extending the Catalans' perfect start to the season. Hansi Flick's team regained its three-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table after 'Los Blancos' defeated Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.