Ballon d'Or 2026: Yamal hits back at Mbappé, refuses to 'beg'

Lamine Yamal has no intention of playing the communication game for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Questioned on Tuesday, the day the thirty-man shortlist was unveiled, the FC Barcelona winger responded with disarming frankness to questions about Kylian Mbappé’s strategy.

“I don’t think I need to campaign. Everyone is free to think what they want. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and I can’t ask for more,” said the Spanish world champion. A response that made perfect sense given the repeated public statements from the Real Madrid striker in favor of his own candidacy.

Yamal then drove the point home with a blunt remark: “I’m not going to beg.” When asked more broadly about his chances, he turned the tables on the journalists who make up the jury. “It doesn’t depend on me, it depends on you. My work with Barça and the national team has been incredible. I’ve had a great year. But we’ll see.”

The Barcelona player’s arguments are nonetheless solid. At 17, he won the World Cup title with Spain and the La Liga championship with FC Barcelona in the same season. The previous season, he finished second in the Ballon d’Or, beaten by his teammate Ousmane Dembélé, who had an exceptional campaign with Paris Saint-Germain.

This time, Yamal enters the race with a significantly expanded trophy cabinet. The decision now rests with the hundred journalists authorized to vote, and the main interested party appears to have chosen to let his titles speak for themselves.