Lamine Yamal has made clear who he considers his true competition in this year's race for football's most prestigious individual prize, pointing to Kylian Mbappe rather than Harry Kane as the man he must overcome to lift the Ballon d'Or.
The Barcelona forward enjoyed a landmark campaign, helping his club retain the La Liga title while being named the division's outstanding player for the 2025-26 season. He then went on to play a central role in Spain's triumphant World Cup campaign across North America, further strengthening his case for individual honours.
In comments released by Movistar, Yamal was unequivocal about where he believes the contest for the award truly lies. "I honestly believe there are two of us who are the best in the world, and this year I'd deserve it because of what I've won," he said. He went further in identifying his rival, adding: "As far as I'm concerned, Mbappe and I are the two best in the world. It's clear to me and everyone who watches the matches knows it."
Mbappe, now at Real Madrid, had a similarly dominant season on the pitch, finishing as the leading scorer across three major competitions: the World Cup, La Liga, and the Champions League. Despite his individual output, the Frenchman ended the campaign without a major team trophy to his name. That has not stopped him from voicing confidence in his own claim to the award. Speaking last week, Mbappe stated that no player performed better than him during the season, notwithstanding the lack of silverware.
The two forwards have history when it comes to the Ballon d'Or conversation. Yamal finished as runner-up last year behind Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembele, while Mbappe's highest finish came in 2023, when he placed third as Lionel Messi claimed the award for a record eighth time.
Both Yamal and Mbappe feature among the 30 nominees on this year's shortlist, alongside reigning winner Dembele. However, much of the outside conversation surrounding the award has centered on a different name entirely. Harry Kane, the England captain, is widely regarded by many observers as the frontrunner following a remarkable individual season in which he scored 73 goals across club and country.
Kane's campaign with Bayern Munich yielded both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup, though his European ambitions were ended at the semi-final stage of the Champions League by Dembele's PSG side. On the international stage, Kane also fell short of the ultimate prize, as England were eliminated by Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals. The Three Lions did recover from that disappointment to defeat France 6-4 in the third-place playoff.
Despite the weight of expectation around his candidacy, Kane has struck a measured tone when discussing his prospects. Speaking to TNT Sports, he acknowledged the outcome was no longer within his control. "Of course, now it is out of my hands, it is down to the voters and the people who decide it. The season I had was my best season by far and we'll have to wait and see," he said.
With the shortlist now confirmed, attention turns to the ceremony itself, which is scheduled to take place in London on October 26. Whether voters ultimately side with Yamal's trophy haul, Mbappe's scoring exploits, or Kane's prolific season for club and country remains to be seen, but all three have staked strong claims heading into the final stretch of deliberations.
Based on reporting from Independent (Football).