'I'd deserve it': Lamine Yamal says World Cup, LaLiga title give him Ballon d'Or edge over Kylian Mbappe

Lamine Yamal believes his World Cup triumph with Spain and LaLiga title with Barcelona should give him the edge over Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Ballon d'Or.The Barcelona winger was named LaLiga's best player for the 2025-26 season after helping his club retain the league title. He then played a key role in Spain's World Cup-winning campaign in North America."I honestly believe there are two of us who are the best in the world, and this year I’d deserve it because of what I’ve won," Lamine said in an interview clip shared by Movistar on Sunday."As far as I’m concerned, Mbappe and I are the two best in the world. It’s clear to me and everyone who watches the matches knows it."Last week, Mbappe had also made his case for the Ballon d'Or. The France captain said no player was better than him last season, even though Real Madrid did not win a major trophy.Real Madrid's Mbappe finished as the top scorer in LaLiga, the Champions League and the World Cup, but ended the season without any silverware.Lamine had taken a more measured approach at a press conference last Tuesday, saying he believed he had a chance of winning the award after an "incredible" season but would not ask for votes.The Ballon d'Or race also includes PSG's Ousmane Dembele, who won the award last year. Dembele believes the trophy should stay with a Paris Saint-Germain player after the club retained the Champions League.Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is also among the favourites for the award.Lamine finished runner-up to Dembele in last year's Ballon d'Or, while Mbappe finished third in 2023, when Lionel Messi won the award for a record eighth time.The 2026 Ballon d'Or will be presented in London on October 26.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.