Why did L. Yamal deserve to win the Ballon d’Or?

2026-10-27 15:13 © Reuters

At yesterday’s prestigious ceremony in London, Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or, Kylian Mbappé finished second, and Lamine Yamal took third place.

Nevertheless, the Barcelona talent had strong arguments for competing for the most prestigious individual football award.

Impressive statistics, creativity, an important role in winning La Liga, and the ability to create and finish attacks himself were just some of the reasons why the young Spaniard could have challenged for first place.

According to journalist George Woodward, the world champion could have won the Ballon d’Or for five reasons:

1. Goals and assists – Lamine Yamal scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists;

2. Creativity and the ability to create chances – he not only attacks dangerously himself but also creates opportunities for his teammates with inventive dribbles and passes;

3. An important role in winning La Liga – the Barcelona footballer scored 16 goals, provided 11 assists, and was named the league’s best player of the season;

4. The ability to decide matches in different ways – Yamal can create a chance for himself, finish an attack accurately, or take advantage of passes from his teammates. His hat-trick against Villarreal proved this as well;

5. The entire season matters, not just the World Cup. Although Yamal was not the standout individual player during Spain’s triumph at the World Cup, his performances for his club, the trophies he won, and his contribution to the team’s success provided a strong basis for competing for the Ballon d’Or.