2026 Ballon d'Or: Lamine Yamal Backed to Win Award After Spain's World Cup Triumph
- Former England striker Gabby Agbonlahor has named Barcelona's Lamine Yamal as his pick for the 2026 Ballon d'Or
- Agbonlahor made his case on talkSPORT, citing Yamal's remarkable list of honours across the 2025/26 season
- Bookmakers have shifted Yamal as the leading candidate for the award following Spain's World Cup victory this summer
Gabby Agbonlahor has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, placing the 19-year-old winger ahead of Harry Kane and Lionel Messi in his personal rankings.
The former Aston Villa striker delivered his verdict during an appearance on talkSPORT following Spain's victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He pointed to the teenager's extraordinary haul of trophies and statistics across the 2025/26 campaign as the basis for his selection.
Source: Getty Images
Lamine Yamal backed to win Ballon d'Or
"I look at Lamine Yamal. Listen, he won the Euros before; won the World Cup this year; won LaLiga; 45 appearances, 24 goals, 18 assists last season with Barcelona. I see Yamal picking it up," Agbonlahor said.
Across his La Liga campaign, Yamal contributed 16 goals and 12 assists for Barcelona, according to Transfermarkt, while adding a further ten goal involvements in the Champions League.
His central role in Spain's World Cup triumph this summer is widely regarded as the most decisive factor in his favour heading into the awards season.
The accolades have been reflected in the betting markets, where bookmakers have moved Yamal into 2/1 favouritism for the award following the tournament.
The Spanish teenager is no stranger to recognition at this level, having finished second in the 2025 Ballon d'Or standings behind Ousmane Dembele.
Source: Getty Images
Agbonlahor makes case for Kane
The former England forward did not discount Harry Kane entirely, acknowledging the striker's extraordinary goal return across the season, but stopped short of backing him for the award.
"Harry Kane scored 72 goals in total [for club and country]. I just think, you know, Champions League disappointment, World Cup disappointment. But I don't think he's going to get it," he said.
Watch Agbonlahor's statement on the Ballon d'Or favourites, as shared on X:
Kylian Mbappe, who won the Golden Boot and produced a strong individual season with PSG, had previously been considered a serious challenger for the award.
However, France's early exit from the World Cup appears to have substantially weakened his position in the betting markets.
Yamal's combination of club consistency and international success at just 19 years of age has placed him at the centre of the early Ballon d'Or conversation, with the formal vote yet to take place.
How Yamal boosted German company's sales
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Lamine Yamal unintentionally gave German clothing brand 6PM major exposure during the 2026 World Cup final.
The Spain teenager repeatedly lifted his shirt during the match, briefly revealing the brand's logo on his boxer shorts.
Source: YEN.com.gh
