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Lamine Yamal named Kylian Mbappé as one of the two best players in the world over the last year, yet the Barcelona sensation made his position crystal clear regarding the 2026 Ballon d'Or: "I deserve it."
The unveiling of the 30-man shortlist for this season's prestigious award has triggered bold claims from several of the planet's elite players. Mbappé recently declared that no one had outperformed him throughout the past campaign, expressing strong confidence in his chances of claiming the trophy.
Mbappé is certainly among the frontrunners, but the Real Madrid attacker finds himself sharing the upper echelons of the standings with Yamal. The 19-year-old racked up 24 goals and 18 assists for La Liga champions Barcelona before guiding Spain to World Cup triumph this summer.
"Who would I give it to? The best in the world," Yamal told Movistar+. "Who are they going to give it to? That's a very long discussion.
"Honestly, I think there are perhaps two of us who are the best in the world. And I believe I deserve it this year based on what I've achieved. Because for me, Mbappé and I are the two finest players on the planet. To me, it's very straightforward, and anyone who watches football knows it."
Barcelona Vice-President Calls for 'Justice' in Ballon d'Or Race
Yamal's conviction that he is worthy of the Ballon d'Or was, unsurprisingly, echoed by Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste.
"Lamine Yamal is a young boy who is bringing enormous hope to young people all over the world," Yuste stated. "He possesses a genius that at his age is truly extraordinary — it has been many years since I've witnessed a player of his kind. Therefore, I believe and hope that justice will be served with this well-earned Ballon d'Or.
"Simply for bringing so much joy to so many boys and girls around the world and to all of us who love football, justice must be done. He deserves everything and more for who he is and for making so many people happy."
The Third Contender Yamal and Mbappé Are Forgetting
While both Yamal and Mbappé have been staking their respective claims for Ballon d'Or glory, they have also been notably generous in their praise of one another, openly projecting confidence in their own abilities.
The issue, however, is that neither player is actually considered the outright favorite.
Currently topping the polls is Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who scored an astonishing 73 goals for club and country throughout the 2025–26 season, rocketing him to the summit of the standings ahead of next month's award ceremony.
Yamal and Mbappé may stand apart as the two most gifted players in the world, but the Ballon d'Or is intended to honor the finest performer of the preceding season — and Kane's remarkable numbers make him virtually impossible to overlook.