Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal has openly challenged Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Ballon d’Or, insisting that his performances and trophy haul last season make him worthy of football’s most prestigious individual award.
Yamal’s comments came after Mbappé made a confident assessment of his own standing among the world’s elite. The exchange has added another layer of intrigue to what is shaping up to be a highly competitive Ballon d’Or race.
‘Mbappé and I Are the Two Best’
Speaking to Movistar Plus, Yamal said he believes he and Mbappé currently stand above the rest of the world’s players.
“In my opinion, Mbappé and I are now the two best players in the world. I genuinely believe that we are the two best footballers in the world,” Yamal said.
“But considering the trophies I won this year, I believe the Ballon d’Or should go to me.”
Strong Season for Barcelona and Spain
Yamal enjoyed an outstanding campaign for Barcelona, scoring 24 goals and providing 17 assists in 45 appearances.
His contributions helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup.
At international level, he made 12 appearances for Spain, scoring once and registering three assists. He was also part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad.
Kane Among the Favorites
Despite Yamal’s confidence, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is widely regarded as one of the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Kane produced extraordinary numbers last season, scoring 73 goals and providing eight assists in 65 appearances for club and country.
He helped Bayern win the Bundesliga and German Cup, while also playing a key role in England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals.
Ballon d’Or Ceremony Moves to London
This year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
The event had been regularly held at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet since 2019, making this year’s move to the English capital a notable change of venue.
