Barcelona star is now the leading contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or – report

Barcelona star is now the leading contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or – report Spain lifted the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has now sparked a lot of debate about who could win the Ballon d’Or for the recently concluded season. It is not necessary for a La Roja player to lift the individual award, but the World Cup usually tends to sway the votes one way or the other. Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has capped another extraordinary season by helping Spain win the World Cup, strengthening his case for the trophy. According to Mundo Deportivo , the 19-year-old Barcelona star has emerged as a leading candidate to win football’s biggest individual prize after adding the World Cup to another outstanding campaign at club level. A season worthy of football’s biggest prize Winning the World Cup has elevated Lamine’s candidacy, but it is only one part of an exceptional year. With Barcelona, he helped the club win another La Liga title while producing outstanding individual numbers, finishing the campaign with 16 league goals and 11 assists. Lamine Yamal is now a world champion. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) The report notes that he was named La Liga ’s Most Valuable Player and shared the Zarra Trophy with Ferran Torres as the competition’s top Spanish goalscorer. Across all competitions for Barcelona, he now boasts 49 goals and 44 assists in 151 appearances, remarkable figures for a player who has only just turned 19. Lamine also added another major international achievement to his growing collection after previously winning Euro 2024 and being named the tournament’s Best Young Player. World Cup impact went beyond statistics Although he entered the tournament after recovering from a hamstring injury, Lamine still became Spain’s main attacking threat. He scored against Saudi Arabia, won the penalty that opened the scoring in the semi-final against France and constantly attracted attention throughout the competition. Only Lionel Messi completed more dribbles at the World Cup, with 28 compared to Lamine’s 27. Lamine Yamal is the leading candidate to win the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images) He finished ahead of elite attackers including Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Vinicius Junior in that category. Barcelona’s superstar is only getting started The Ballon d’Or is ultimately awarded for excellence across an entire season, and few players can match Lamine’s combination of team success, individual performances and influence on the biggest stages. The only thing that could cost him some points is the fact that the Catalan club failed to reach the latter stages of the Champions League, getting knocked out in the quarter-finals. His market value has also climbed to €220 million , making him one of the most valuable footballers in the world. At 19, Lamine has an international trophy cabinet most players spend their entire careers chasing. If he wins the Ballon d’Or this year , it will be a massive honour for Barcelona. If not, it will not be long before he eventually gets his hands on the trophy if he continues at the same level.