Neymar da Silva has offered public support to Lamine Yamal, describing the young Barcelona star as the best player in the world just a few days before the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Santos star’s endorsement came via his official Instagram account, where he reposted a statistical comparison between his best season with Paris Saint-Germain and Yamal’s strong start with Barcelona this season.
Neymar wrote a brief caption that encapsulated his stance entirely, stating: “The best in the world,” while tagging the Spanish winger’s account in the post.
The comparison featured Neymar’s numbers from the 2017–2018 season, when he scored 25 goals and provided 16 assists across 27 matches for Paris Saint-Germain, earning an average rating of 8.81.
In contrast, Yamal has scored eight goals and provided nine assists during his first ten matches of the 2026–2027 season, recording an average rating of 8.61, placing him directly behind the Brazilian star’s peak campaign.
This praise carries special significance for Yamal, who has spoken on multiple occasions about considering Neymar his childhood idol, revealing that he used to spend hours watching his skills and clips online.
The relationship between the two players has grown closer in recent years, with Yamal spending part of his holiday at Neymar’s home in Brazil in 2025, while the Brazilian has previously described him as one of the most prominent teenage talents football has ever seen.
Yamal, who won the 2026 World Cup with Spain, arrives at the Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London as one of the leading contenders. Neymar’s backing serves as a fresh morale boost for the 19-year-old as he attempts to translate his exceptional start into his first major individual accolade.
