Lamine Yamal vows his time will come after finishing third in Ballon d’Or 2026

Lamine Yamal has insisted that his time to win the Ballon d’Or will eventually arrive after finishing third in the 2026 rankings behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé.

The Barcelona winger addressed his disappointment in a message posted on Instagram on Tuesday, choosing to focus on the future after missing out on football’s most prestigious individual award for the second consecutive year.

“It will come; good things take time. I have confidence in the path I am building. Without rushing, with enthusiasm and with the certainty that my moment will come sooner or later,” the 19-year-old wrote.

Yamal also congratulated the winners before turning his attention back to Barcelona’s immediate objectives.

“I am now refocusing on what matters most: bringing FC Barcelona back to winning ways,” he added.

Third consecutive Kopa Trophy offers consolation

Although Yamal missed out on the Ballon d’Or, he collected the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year, recognising him as the best young player in world football.

The achievement further underlines the teenager’s remarkable rise, having finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting before placing third this year.

Barcelona star determined to move forward

Yamal’s latest message comes after a difficult week for Barcelona, who suffered a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before losing 2-1 to Real Madrid in El Clásico.

The young winger will now look to channel his disappointment into helping his team recover from those setbacks.

Despite missing out on the main individual prize again, Yamal remains confident that continued hard work and consistent performances will eventually put him in a position to win it.

For now, his priority is clear: help Barcelona return to winning ways while continuing his development as one of football’s leading young talents.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @lamineyamal