Rabat – Barcelona president Joan Laporta has backed Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, describing the 19-year-old forward as a “genius” following his inclusion on the 30-man shortlist.
Laporta spoke on Wednesday ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord, praising the maturity and personality Yamal has shown both on and off the pitch.
“He is spectacular. He has exceptional quality, he is a genius, and I think his Ballon d’Or nomination is more than deserved,” Laporta said.
The Barcelona president added that he would be delighted to see Yamal claim the award and said any Ballon d’Or success for a player from the Catalan club would be a source of satisfaction.
“I would love Lamine to win the Ballon d’Or,” Laporta said, also describing the Spain international as “very mature” and versatile in the way he handles his public responsibilities.
Yamal was officially named among the candidates for the men’s Ballon d’Or on Tuesday alongside Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembélé and several other leading players.
Yamal builds another strong Ballon d’Or case
The nomination follows another major season for the Barcelona academy graduate.
Yamal was named LaLiga Player of the Season for 2025-26 after scoring 16 league goals and providing 11 assists, with no player in the competition recording more assists. His contributions helped Barcelona retain the Spanish league title.
He then added the biggest international trophy to his career during the summer, forming part of the Spain team that won the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Argentina 1-0 following extra time in the final in New York New Jersey.
The latest nomination gives Yamal another opportunity to go one step further after finishing second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, receiving 1,059 points behind Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé’s 1,380.
Yamal has already made clear that he will not publicly campaign for the prize, saying this week that his performances for Barcelona and Spain should speak for themselves.
