The debate over who should take the lead Ballon d’Or 2026 It is more alive than ever. In previous editions there had not been as many ‘own candidacies’ as those currently being seen, mainly with the figures of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
In fact, it was the latter who has officially launched his candidacy to win the award that recognizes the best player of the 2025-2026 season. In a fragment of the interview by Universo Valdano on MovistarPlus+the Barcelona forward himself sees himself as a favorite for the Ballon d’Or and that for him he has achieved the necessary merits to win it.
“Who would I give it to? To the best player in the world. Who are they going to give it to? That is already a very long conversation… I sincerely believe that there are two of the best in the world and this year I would deserve it for what I have won. For me, Mbappé and I are the two best in the world. For me it is clear and everyone who watches the games knows it,” the current world champion said with great confidence.
This is the first time that the barely 19-year-old forward has spoken specifically about his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or. As for statistics, Yamal has not failed to say that he was one of the best in terms of goals and assists last season.
With Barcelona alone he directly participated in 41 goals (24 goals and 17 assists) in 45 duels across all competitions. He also helped the Spanish team win the World Cup, the latter being a fairly strong and weighty argument to consider.
It must be remembered that the 100 journalists from the first 100 teams in the FIFA ranking vote for the Ballon d’Or. But Yamal is not alone in the race. The player himself has recognized that Mbappé has had an extraordinary season and also has the necessary arguments to win the individual distinction.
Days ago the Frenchman also launched ‘his campaign’ on the Ballon d’Or and in other words he also mentioned that he considers himself deserving of it. “When you play for Madrid, people associate you with this award. Many people talk to me about the Ballon d’Or, it’s a positive topic, I’ve made history this summer, but let’s see. It’s a good year for that and people have to vote.”
“Being the top scorer in the history of the World Cup and going ahead of all the great legends in the history of sport in the most important tournament that exists is something that burns the retina, a global event. Who do I vote for? For me,” the Real Madrid footballer went on to highlight. France Football.
What works against Mbappé is the collective part. With the merengue club he added another blank season and was on the verge of the World Cup final, falling in the semifinals against Yamal’s Spain. The collective titles, although it is true, are not the main thing taken into account in this award, they are part of the criteria to be considered for the Ballon d’Or.
While it is true that Mbappé and Yamal are the big favorites, there are other names on the list who also won the World Cup and won important titles with their clubs, such as Fabián Ruíz (Champions League champion with PSG) or Rodri.
Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, among others, could be added to that same list. The only certainty is that the Ballon d’Or will be awarded on October 26 at the London Palladium theater in London, England.
