Jorge Mendes did not hesitate to declare his full support for Lamine Yamal in the 2026 Ballon d’Or race, asserting that the Barcelona star stands clearly ahead of the remaining contenders for football’s most prestigious individual award.
Mendes’s statements carry added weight given his role as Yamal’s representative, overseeing the player’s commercial and sporting future following his consolidation as the central figure of Barcelona’s long-term project.
The Portuguese agent declared: “The Ballon d’Or clearly belongs to Lamine Yamal. He is the best, and the gap between him and the other candidates is extremely obvious, as you all know.”
Mendes bases his stance on a campaign in which Yamal continued setting records with Barcelona before winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain, subsequently starting the new season in strong form to bolster his award campaign.
However, the competition remains fierce, featuring Kylian Mbappé, reigning holder Ousmane Dembélé, Rodri, Vitinha, Harry Kane, Fabian Ruiz, and Lionel Messi within the 30-man shortlist. Fabian has also emerged as a primary contender after winning both the World Cup with Spain and the UEFA Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappé features as Yamal’s primary competitor following outstanding individual output with Real Madrid and France, while Paris Saint-Germain players retain a strong presence on the shortlist following the French club’s second consecutive UEFA Champions League title.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, at the London Palladium—marking the first edition hosted in England to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the award, which was first won by Sir Stanley Matthews in 1956.
