The 2026 Ballon d'Or turns into a Yamal‑Dembélé duel in London
This Monday, the 2026 Ballon d’Or will be awarded in London, and the prize has never seemed so hotly contested: the defending champion Ousmane Dembélé faces a host of claimants, including his Parisian teammates Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as well as the French Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise.
Lamine Yamal's Journey to London
Iberian radio station Cope revealed on Thursday that Lamine Yamal has already booked a private jet to travel to the English capital, accompanied by his family and close ones.
FC Barcelona would also have chartered a second aircraft of the same type, a precaution the club justifies by the fact that no one yet knows who will succeed Ousmane Dembélé.
Last year, at the same time, the blaugrana prodigy had organised an evening in Paris for his entourage, before finishing second with 1,059 points, far behind the 1,380 points of his Parisian counterpart.
Among the other favourites, the English Harry Kane, playing for Bayern, is the subject of persistent rumours, while the Spaniards Rodri and the young Catalan prodigy Lamine Yamal seem to enjoy a decisive advantage.
Some observers believe that Yamal's potential exceeds that of the entire competition, describing him as the iconic embodiment of the world champions of La Roja.