Ballon d’Or: the bold gamble on Lamine Yamal
With a four‑day countdown, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to kick off next Monday in London. The seventieth edition, the most contested ever, brings together a host of contenders. Bixente Lizarazu, appearing on the Téléfoot L’After set, already names the favourite: Lamine Yamal.
A 70th edition more contested than ever
This seventieth edition stands out for the record number of players vying for the award. Among them, observers scrutinise performances in the Champions League and the World Cup to separate the candidates.
Lizarazu explains: “I will try to stick to my criteria. My criteria are collective. There has been a season with two major competitions, the Champions League and the World Cup, so there will be Kvara (Khvicha Kvaratskhelia), Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé. And after the other criterion, it’s the thrill criterion, the genius, and there is only Lamine Yamal left.” He adds that his choice is based on a combination of consistency and “a little thrill.”
He adds that Kvara has been “super consistent in the Champions League,” but his absence from the World Cup, Georgia not having qualified, is a weak point. Thus, in his view, only Lamine Yamal fully meets both criteria.
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Arguments in favour of Lamine Yamal
The consultant notes that, even though Yamal’s World Cup was not “incredible,” he is a Spanish champion with FC Barcelona and a 1998 World Cup champion, which makes him “phenomenal.” He states that “What he does… and lately, he has again raised his level.”
Regarding the little thrill, he only talks about Lamine Yamal, even though he mentions Michael Olise as another source of thrill, but notes that Olise’s lack of World Cup and Champions League experience puts him at a disadvantage.
Kvara, aka Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, is excluded from the discussion, because Georgia did not take part in the World Cup, which, according to Lizarazu, limits his case despite a very complete season in the Champions League.
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In conclusion, Lizarazu assures that these criteria guarantee Lamine Yamal a place in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or, and not necessarily the tenth spot.