Luis de la Fuente backs Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d'Or!

Spanish national team coach backs his star player.

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Luis de la Fuente backs Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d'Or!

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In recent comments, Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente—who led the Spanish national team to World Cup glory in 2026—shared his opinion on who should win this year's Ballon d'Or.

De la Fuente answered media questions about his preferences regarding who should win the Ballon d'Or with complete candor; the experienced coach stated that a Spanish player ought to win the award.

read also: Luis de la Fuente details bizarre World Cup medal ceremony with Trump

Luis de la Fuente shares his preferences for the Ballon d'Or!

The coach made no secret of his preference for homegrown talent, declaring, “I always champion domestic products—the 'Spain' brand; we are world-class when it comes to training, performance, and quality. And off the top of my head, I'd say Mikel Oyarzabal is missing from the list of candidates; the person writing down the names must have dropped the paper, and he didn't get included.”

Yet while De la Fuente stopped short of naming an outright favourite, the bookmakers' odds point firmly to Lamine Yamal as the Spaniard most likely to claim the honour.

"I think Lamine Yamal could win the Ballon d'Or because he is Spanish and an outstanding footballer. If not this year, then in the future; I don't think it will take him too long to win it. He is looking very good at the start of this season, and we want to enjoy watching him for many years to come," the coach said.