Ballon d'Or: De la Fuente makes ambitious prediction for Yamal

The Spain manager backs the Barça winger after his third-place finish in the 2026 Ballon d'Or

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Ballon d'Or: De la Fuente makes ambitious prediction for Yamal

Luis de la Fuente sees a trophy-laden future for Lamine Yamal and urges him to remain calm after Harry Kane’s triumph.

For Luis de la Fuente, the 2026 Ballon d'Or verdict changes nothing about the potential of Lamine Yamal. The manager of Spain sent a message of confidence to his forward, who finished third in the standings behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé at Monday’s ceremony in London on October 26.

De la Fuente predicts a trophy-laden future

In comments reported by Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish coach said he was convinced that the FC Barcelona player would have further opportunities to win the ultimate prize.

“Lamine will win many Ballon d'Ors and individual awards, but he will also win many collective titles, which I know he appreciates and enjoys winning even more,” De la Fuente stated.

🚨 Luis de la Fuente: “Lamine Yamal will win many Ballon d’Ors. He just has to stay calm, he’s a fantastic player”. https://t.co/Opc8m1qrV3
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 27, 2026

The manager thus links his individual prediction to the success of Yamal’s teams. Above all, his message calls for this candidacy to be viewed over the long term, rather than treating a single edition of the award as a definitive judgment on his career.

A call for calm after the verdict

De la Fuente also highlighted the Barcelona player’s human qualities: “He must remain calm because we know his true value, his potential and how outstanding he is as a footballer, but also as a person.”

At 19, Yamal already has two consecutive Ballon d'Or podium finishes: runner-up in 2025, he finishes third this time. The triumph of the Bayern Munich forward therefore leaves the Spaniard waiting for his first success, but confirms his place among the leading contenders.

A third Kopa Trophy and a contract until 2031

Yamal did not leave London empty-handed: he won the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year, following his victories in 2024 and 2025.

His club future is also secured for the long term. Barça extended his contract until June 30, 2031, making him a central part of its project. To turn De la Fuente’s predictions into more trophies, the challenge will now be to maintain this influence season after season, both with Barcelona and the national team.

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