Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has taken to television to challenge the way the 2026 Ballon d’Or is being judged, arguing that goals and team trophies should not be the sole determinants of the award. The 19‑year‑old, who has helped Spain lift the World Cup and Barcelona secure the La Liga title during the voting period, insists the prize must recognise the best individual player in the world.
Yamal’s comments come as he is listed among the leading contenders for the award. His rivals, however, have produced far higher goal tallies: Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane scored 73 goals in the 2025/26 season, while Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappé netted 58.
Speaking to Movistar Plus, Yamal said, “That award is being viewed differently now. When [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] were around, everyone knew they were the two best in the world, so the award was shared between the two players.” He added, “The problem now is that people are focusing on things that have nothing to do with the Ballon d’Or. For example, when they say a PSG player has to win it because they’ve won the Champions League.”
“When you win the Champions League, PSG are awarded the Champions League trophy for being the best team, and that’s the prize that belongs to PSG. It’s a different matter altogether if the world’s best player happens to be at PSG. In that case, I believe the award should go to the world’s best player, full stop. Not to a player who’s scored 80 goals, because when you score 80 goals, you’re given the top scorer award for the season,” Yamal said.
He stressed that the best player is one who “makes you watch the match and enjoy it; you see him, and he’s a player who stands out from the rest.” Yamal also said he “deserves” the Ballon d’Or and described himself and Mbappé as the “two best players,” while noting that his focus is on overall influence rather than personal statistics, citing Mesut Özil as an example of a player who can dominate games without high goal numbers.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be presented in London on 26 October. Voting criteria include individual performances, collective performances and titles, as well as class and fair play.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
