Ballon d'Or 2026: Spain already puts Lamine Yamal in front

The race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or is wide open after the 2026 World Cup. Lamine Yamal already has Spain's backing, despite Rodri's presence.

For the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Kylian Mbappé is among the leading favorites, having finished as top scorer at the World Cup, La Liga, and the Champions League—a feat not seen since 1966. However, the Frenchman still lacks a major team title to truly challenge his Barcelona rival. That's what Mundo Deportivo highlights.

“Although he wasn't at his very best during the World Cup, notably due to limited playing time caused by a left hamstring injury, Lamine remained a constant threat to opposing defenses and spearheaded Spain's attack. His tournament performance improved as the matches went on,” the paper explains, citing his goal against Saudi Arabia and the penalty he won against France in the semi-final. “Only Leo Messi (28) completed more dribbles than him (27) throughout the tournament,” far ahead of a trio of players: Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Vinicius (16 each).

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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