Barcelona attacker Lamine Yamal called out people for criticising him and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe over their Ballon d’Or comments. The duo are among 30 nominees for the 2026 edition of the prestigious award.
Yamal, 19, is coming off a trophy-laden season with club and country, winning the La Liga-Supercopa de Espana double with Barcelona before featuring in Spain’s victorious 2026 FIFA World Cup squad, becoming the youngest player to complete the European Championship-World Cup double.
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Meanwhile, Mbappe, 27, is coming off a goal-rich campaign with club and country, top-scoring with 25 goals in La Liga and 15 strikes in the UEFA Champions League, even though Real Madrid didn’t win either competition. The Frenchman then top-scored with 10 goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, where Les Bleus finished fourth.
Both Yamal and Mbappe have talked about their chances of winning this year’s Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded on October 26 in London. However, the Barca teenager finds it bemusing that people criticise him and Mbappe when they talk with sincerity (telling Teledeporte, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano):
“If Kylian Mbappe and I didn’t talk, people would wonder why we don’t talk. … They ask us to be sincere, but when we are, they criticise us.”
Yamal is the youngest player to receive three Ballon d’Or nominations, finishing eighth in 2024 and second last year. Meanwhile, Mbappe has had nine straight nominations, with his best finish being third in 2023, behind winner Lionel Messi and second-placed Erling Haaland.
What Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe have said about their Ballon d’Or credentials
Coming off fabulous campaigns for club and country, both Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe are strong contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or and have explained their credentials for the award.
Having won titles with club and country, Yamal said that he should win the award because he makes people enjoy the game, with his World Cup win strengthening his case (as per AS):
“Making people enjoy the game is my goal. I think the Ballon d’Or has to do with that, with being the best player, the player you enjoy watching the most, the one who is a step above the rest and who you enjoy watching. I think that’s what sets me apart.
“With the World Cup, I have a better chance of winning it. Last year, I was missing the Champions League, which PSG won. This year, I have a better chance.”
Meanwhile, Mbappe said about why he should win the Ballon d’Or, telling CNN Sports:
“Football is a collective sport, but there are collective trophies to represent that collective supremacy. When you talk about the Ballon d’Or, you give it to one player, so you give it to the best player, and the guy who shows you that he is the best, and every big competition shows something.”
Both Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe are with their respective national teams as they prepare to commence their campaigns in the UEFA Nations League.
Edited by Bhargav