Lamine Yamal fears age could hurt Ballon d’Or hopes despite standout year

Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has admitted he fears his age could count against him in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The 19-year-old has established himself among the leading contenders for football’s most prestigious individual award after another outstanding year for club and country.

Despite his impressive performances, Yamal believes voters could overlook his achievements because they expect him to have several more opportunities to claim the prize in the future.

The teenager says that perception could work in favour of more established contenders, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Harry Kane also among the names competing for recognition.

“I think, being totally honest, there is one thing that people I don’t know if they are going to change but I think people think that, as Lamine is 19 years old and Lamine is very good, he is going to win at some point,” he told Guardian Sport.

Yamal believes his age could create the assumption that winning the Ballon d’Or is merely a matter of time for him.

That, he fears, could influence how voters assess his performances during the current campaign and make them more inclined to reward players who have been waiting longer for the individual honour.

“So, let’s say Mbappe, Fabian, Rodri, Kvaratskhelia, Messi, Kane.. They think that I will always be there and that I will win eventually,” Yamal added.

Yamal points to Mbappe example

The Barcelona star also pointed to Mbappe’s experience as evidence that being regarded as a future Ballon d’Or winner does not guarantee eventual success.

Mbappe was considered one of the world’s best young players from an early age and has remained a leading contender for the award throughout his career.

Yet, despite his individual achievements and success at club and international level, the French forward has still not won the Ballon d’Or.

“For example, Mbappe, the same thing happened to him when he was young. They told him that at some point he will win and, in the end, until now, he doesn’t have any.”

Yamal will therefore hope his performances can convince voters to judge him on what he has already achieved rather than what they expect him to accomplish in the future.

The teenager has continued to attract attention with his maturity and influence despite his age, putting himself firmly into the conversation for the 2026 award.

With the Ballon d’Or decided by individual performances and voting, Yamal knows his challenge is to ensure his age does not overshadow the case he has built on the pitch.