Spain and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal was voted best young talent for a third straight year at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, but the 19-year-old clearly has his sights set on the top prize, which went to Harry Kane.
Yamal finished third in the main voting, behind Kane of Bayern Munich and England and Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, who finished second. On Tuesday night, Yamal took to social media to reassure fans that missing out on soccer’s top individual award would not get him down.
“IT WILL COME, good things take time, I trust in the path I’m building,” Yamal wrote. “No rush, just excitement and the calm assurance that one day my time will come.”
He added: “Congratulations to the winners. My focus is back on what matters most: making FC Barcelona win again.”
A Strong Season
Yamal was among the leading contenders for the award after a strong 2025-26 campaign. He scored 25 goals and provided 20 assists in 57 appearances, helping Barcelona defend their LaLiga title and win the Spanish Supercopa.
He was also a key contributor to the Spain side that won the 2026 World Cup. Yamal scored only one goal at the tournament after returning to play in the summer following an injury late in the club season. He started seven of Spain’s eight games and was a constant threat down the right wing, drawing double teams throughout the tournament in North America, where La Roja won their second World Cup.
Praise From the Coach
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, who won the Ballon d’Or for men’s coach of the year, said after Monday’s ceremony: “Lamine Yamal is going to win many Ballon d’Or awards, many individual trophies, but more importantly, he is going to win many more team trophies. I know he values that more.”
Yamal, a 2024 European Champion, has already won three LaLiga titles with Barça. He also won the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young player in the world under 21, ahead of his Spain and Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí.
Barcelona sit atop LaLiga after a stellar start to the season, winning their first eight games. Yamal has scored eight goals and added six assists along the way.