Lamine Yamal refuses to campaign for Ballon d’Or despite World Cup and La Liga success

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal says he will not “beg” for the Ballon d’Or, despite helping Spain win the World Cup and Barcelona retain the La Liga title.

The 19-year-old believes he has performed at an exceptional level for club and country this year, but said the decision over whether he deserves the individual award should be left to others.

“I don’t think I need to (make a campaign for it), I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal told reporters.

“I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more.

“I think… I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s (the media’s) job and I will not beg for anything.”

Yamal finished second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting behind Paris St-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele. He is among the leading contenders again, alongside Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Mbappe put forward his own case for the prize on Monday, pointing to his World Cup Golden Boot and the fact that he became the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Dembele, a former Barcelona player, recently told France Football that Kvaratskhelia, Kane and Mbappe would make up his top three choices for the award.

“He’s a friend of Kylian, right?” joked Yamal of the France winger.

“The truth is I don’t care, I’m very happy with the year I had, when I played against both of them together I must have annoyed them.”

Spain defeated France 2-0 in the World Cup semi-finals. Yamal also played a key role in Barcelona’s domestic success, although his campaign was interrupted by a hamstring injury in April.

He has only recently returned to his best form. After appearing unhappy at the beginning of the season, Yamal looked in much better spirits while scoring in each of his last two matches, against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia.

“In the end, I’m 19, coming off winning a World Cup, having had the best holidays of my life,” said Yamal.

“I’ve never been happier at any point in my life than I am now.”

His immediate priority is helping Barcelona challenge for the Champions League, a trophy the club have not won since 2015. They begin this season’s campaign at home against Feyenoord on Wednesday.

Barcelona’s last triumph came with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar forming their celebrated attacking partnership. Under manager Hansi Flick, the Catalan club reached the semi-finals in 2025 before going out in the quarter-finals last season.

“Every big club is dreaming about this because this is the best competition,” said the German.

“We have the quality to win this, but there’s a long way (to go).”

Flick also praised Yamal’s ability to influence matches and said the winger’s enjoyment of football was the most encouraging aspect of his current form.

“Lamine is a player who can decide games on his own, fantastic quality,” added Flick.

“It’s great, you can see it every day how he is enjoying playing football.

“For me the best thing is that he enjoys this game and then he’s on a top level.”

Yamal is favourite to win the best young player award for a third consecutive time at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on 26 October.

He was one of 10 players nominated on Tuesday. The list also includes Johan Manzambi, Yan Diomande and Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed at the World Cup before becoming the subjects of major summer transfers.

Yamal took part in Barcelona’s final training session at the Joan Gamper training ground before the meeting with Feyenoord, alongside German forward Karim Adeyemi, defender Eric Garcia and midfielder Pedri.