Lamine Yamal a favorite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or in London

The football world is watching anxiously for October 26, 2026, when the new Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London. Amid this hype, one name is in the spotlight: Lamine Yamal, the 19‑year‑old superstar of FC Barcelona.

Yamal's impressive record

In the previous 2025/26 season battle, Yamal collected 28 scorer points in 28 La Liga appearances, ten points in ten Champions League matches and four points in seven domestic cup games – averaging almost a point per game. These numbers demonstrate his consistent scoring rate.

The only downside: at the 2026 World Cup he managed only two scorer points, as he was injured for a long period and was not 100 % available in North America.

Criteria for the award

The awarding of the Ballon d’Or takes into account only performances from the 2025/26 season, including the 2026 World Cup, while appearances from the new season are excluded. Three main criteria determine the decision: individual performance, team success as well as class and fair play.

Yamal meets the criterion of individual class not only through numbers but also through his impact on the game. His dribbling elegance, spectacular feints and the “Prime‑Messi‑Vibe” thrill spectators and set him apart from rivals.

Last year Yamal was already in second place behind Ousmane Dembélé, highlighting his proximity to the title. Had he won the previous year, he would already have been the youngest Ballon d’Or winner.

At 19 years old, Yamal would be the youngest winner ever with a victory – a record that further fuels the debate about the name in the envelope.

Thus the decision is made not only on pure statistics but also on the emotional impact Yamal has on the audience. His ability to lift spectators from their seats makes him the ideal candidate for the award.