Barca Prodigy Lamine Yamal Won't Lobby for 2026 Ballon d'Or Trophy

Barcelona's talented winger, Lamine Yamal, has made it clear that he has no intentions of actively seeking or campaigning for the prestigious 2026 Ballon d'Or award. The 19-year-old expressed this sentiment to journalists on Tuesday, prior to his club's UEFA Champions League encounter against Feyenoord. He highlighted that the discretion of voters and football enthusiasts remains their prerogative, and that such individual honours are beyond his direct influence.

"I don’t think I need to campaign for the Ballon D’Or. Everyone is entitled to think whatever they want,” Yamal stated. He further added, “I’m not here to campaign, and I’m not going to beg for anything. That’s your job. It’s not on me.”

Yamal conveyed his immense satisfaction with his contributions to both his club and the national team throughout the past year. He believes that any potential recognition he might receive would largely be a reflection of the collective achievements of his teams. “Winning the Ballon d’Or does not depend on me,” he remarked. “The work we’ve done with Barça and the national team has been unbelievable. I’ll be grateful to my teammates at Barça and with the national team if I win it, of course.”

The highly anticipated presentation ceremony for the 2026 Ballon d'Or is scheduled to hold in London on October 26.