SOCCER: Lamine Yamal says Mbappe is his only Ballon d’Or rival

Lamine Yamal said his World Cup success with Spain and winning LaLiga with Barcelona should give him the edge over Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Ballon d'Or.

France striker Mbappe was the top scorer at the World Cup as well as in LaLiga and the Champions League and said last week no player was better than him last season, though he failed to win any silverware.

Lamine was named LaLiga's best player in 2025-26 as Barcelona successfully defended the title, and later played a key role in Spain winning the World Cup 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."

Lamine was runner-up to Ousmane Dembele last year, while Mbappe was third in 2023, when Lionel Messi won the award for a record eighth time.

The Ballon d'Or will be awarded in London on October 26.

-Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Purulia, India; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters