Lamine Yamal Tipped for 2026 Ballon d'Or by Spain Coach Luis de la Fuente
- Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has publicly declared that Lamine Yamal deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or
- De la Fuente insisted Yamal was Spain's most important player at the World Cup despite public debate over his performances
- The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26
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Luis de la Fuente has publicly thrown his weight behind Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, calling the Barcelona winger the most important player in his side throughout the FIFA World Cup.
The declaration from de la Fuente comes amid debate about Yamal's contributions during the global showpiece, with some critics questioning the impact of the teenage forward on Spain's campaign.
Source: Getty Images
Spain coach defends Yamal's World Cup role
The Spain boss was direct in his assessment, pushing back against those who felt Yamal had not delivered on the biggest stage.
De la Fuente said, as cited by Tribuna:
"Many will say that he did nothing at the World Cup, but if you really watched the matches, you know that he was our most important player. I believe Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d'Or this year."
The statement represents a significant endorsement from one of football's most respected coaches, carrying particular weight given that De la Fuente had a front-row seat to Yamal's influence throughout the competition.
Can Lamine Yamal Win the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race could come down to Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, with both stars making strong cases for the prestigious award.
Mbappé has enjoyed a phenomenal campaign, leading the way with his goalscoring, while Yamal has impressed with his creativity, dribbling and overall influence.
The Barcelona star finished the season with 24 goals and 18 assists, including 16 goals and 11 assists in LaLiga, as cited by Transfermarkt.
Mbappé also enjoyed an outstanding World Cup individually, but France were eliminated by Spain in the semi-finals.
Yamal, meanwhile, played a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph, giving him a major trophy that could strengthen his Ballon d’Or claim.
La Liga president snubs Yamal in Ballon d’Or race
In another Ballon d’Or-related report, YEN.com.gh disclosed that LaLiga president Javier Tebas has picked his favourite to win the 2026 award.
Interestingly, Tebas overlooked Lamine Yamal, who was named LaLiga’s Most Valuable Player last season.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
