Ballon d’Or 2026: Yassin Nfaoui snubs Mbappe, names top favourite to win award

Prominent French sports journalist, Yassin Nfaoui, has snubbed France captain Kylian Mbappe while naming the top favourite to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Mbappe is among the 30 players shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, and the winner of the award will be announced next month in England.

However, according to Nfaoui, Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal is the top favourite to win the Ballon d’Or.

“Lamine Yamal is the top favourite to win the Ballon d’Or,” Nfaoui via El Chiringuito TV.

Yamal, who was shortlisted among the 30 players to compete for the Ballon d’Or, has been impressive for Barcelona in the past couple of years.

The 19-year-old won back-to-back LaLiga titles with the Catalan club and also won the 2024 Euro and the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain.