“But I deserve it.” Lamine Yamal names his only competitor in the 2026 Ballon d’Or race.

Lamine Yamal, an activist with Barcelona and the Spanish national team, said that he deserves to win the Ballon d'Or for the best footballer in 2026. Yamal (19 years old) explained that Kylian Mbappé is his main competitor for the "Ballon d'Or" award, but he claimed that he "superior" the Frenchman.

In statements reported by the “TNT SPORTS” network on Monday, Lamine Yamal said: “To whom will I give the Golden Ball? I honestly believe that there are perhaps only two players who are the best in the world, but I deserve it this year.”

He added: "I think I deserve the Ballon d'Or because of the titles I won and achieved last season. This is my opinion." Yamal continued: “After winning the World Cup, I was not happy. It is clear that I entered the tournament suffering from an injury, but this has nothing to do with it.”

He continued: "I would have performed well even without the injury. However, I did many things that people did not see. For example, I think it is amazing for a coach to have a player who is able to drag three opponents with him." He added: "But I was not satisfied with my performance. I know that if any other player had performed the same as me, he would have considered his level great, but for me, I could have done more. I helped the team, but I am looking forward to the next World Cup."

Lamine Yamal won the World Cup with Spain, scoring 24 goals and providing 18 assists with the Catalan team last season. While Mbappe topped the World Cup's all-time top scorers with 22 goals, he also scored 42 goals and made 7 assists last season with the "Merengue" team.