Ballon d’Or 2026: Kylian Mbappé responds to Lamine Yamal

After Lamine Yamal’s headline-making comments, Kylian Mbappé responded while clearly outlining his ambition for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The rivalry between Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal is gaining even more momentum as the 2026 Ballon d’Or approaches. A few days after the Barcelona prodigy said that the two men were currently the best players in the world, while also believing that he deserved the individual award, the Real Madrid forward responded in an interview with AS.

Mbappé initially had particularly high praise for his Spanish rival.

“Lamine Yamal? I have a feeling he’s going to have a great career,” said the France captain.

It was a controversy-free response, with the two stars emerging as among the leading faces of this edition of the Ballon d’Or.

Mbappé: “My best lawyer is my feet”

Asked about his own chances of finally winning the trophy, Mbappé preferred to let his performances on the pitch do the talking.

“Can I win the Ballon d’Or this year? I can speak with my mouth, but I think my best lawyer is my feet. That’s football; I try to remain focused on the pitch at all times.”

The Frenchman has openly embraced his ambition for several weeks. José Mourinho had already publicly made his case, believing that Kylian Mbappé had the credentials to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The ceremony will be held on October 26 in London.

Mbappé and Yamal already have the same tally this season

The start of the 2026-2027 season is adding even more fuel to this rivalry. Mbappé currently has 8 goals and 2 assists in 7 matches across all competitions. In La Liga, he has scored 7 goals and provided 2 assists in 6 appearances, in addition to his goal against Inter Milan on the opening matchday of the Champions League.

Remarkably, Lamine Yamal has exactly the same overall record: 8 goals and 2 assists in 7 appearances. The Barcelona player has scored 7 goals in 6 league matches, followed by 1 goal and 2 assists in the Champions League during the emphatic 5-1 win over Feyenoord. He scored again on Wednesday against Racing Santander in Barça’s 7-2 victory.

Two very different cases for the Ballon d’Or

However, the trophy rewards the 2025-2026 season, not just the start of the current campaign. Yamal can point to the World Cup title won with Spain and Barça’s league triumph. Mbappé, meanwhile, finished as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup, but did not win a major team trophy.

With the ceremony just a few weeks away, their current performances are therefore fueling a rivalry that is already the subject of extensive discussion. And despite the comments from his young rival, Mbappé has chosen a simple approach: let his statistics and performances speak for themselves.

Read also: Barcelona: Hansi Flick provides an update on Joan Garcia

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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