2026 Ballon d’Or: Lamine Yamal names player to challenge him for award

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has claimed that he and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe are the two best players in the world.

In an interview with Movistar, Yamal, however, claimed that he deserves to win the Ballon d’Or ahead of Mbappe.

He said: “Kylian Mbappe and I, we are the two best in the world.

“But I think I am the one who deserves to win the Ballon d’Or.”

Both Yamal and Mbappe have made the 30-man shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or award.

In the year under review, Yamal won the LaLiga, Copa del Rey and World Cup titles.

On his part, Mbappe emerged as the top scorer in the Champions League, LaLiga and World Cup.