Lamine Yamal enjoyed another extraordinary season in 2025/26, establishing himself as one of Barcelona's most important players and helping the club win major honours. His numbers were outstanding, his individual brilliance was undeniable, and he was arguably one of the best players in the world at club level. However, winning the Ballon d'Or should be about individual excellence rather than simply collecting the most trophies. And when Yamal's club and international performances are examined separately, there is a strong argument that he should not win the 2026 award.
Yamal Was Outstanding for Barcelona
There is absolutely no question that Yamal was brilliant for Barcelona throughout the 2025/26 campaign.
In La Liga, the Spanish winger produced 16 goals and 11 assists in 28 appearances, numbers that helped Barcelona secure their second consecutive league title. He was also named La Liga Player of the Season, underlining just how influential he was domestically.
His Champions League numbers were equally impressive. Yamal scored six goals and provided four assists in 10 appearances, meaning he directly contributed to 10 goals in the competition. He also became the youngest player ever to reach 10 combined goals and assists in a single Champions League season.
These statistics only tell part of the story. Yamal's dribbling, creativity, chance creation and ability to produce moments of magic made him a constant threat. Barcelona themselves described him as a key figure in their title-winning campaign, while his individual awards reflected his influence.
So, from a Barcelona perspective, Yamal was absolutely outstanding.
But Spain Was a Different Story
The problem for Yamal's Ballon d'Or case comes when his performances for Spain are examined.
Despite helping Spain win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Yamal's individual contribution at the tournament was far less spectacular than what he produced for Barcelona. His World Cup statistics show eight appearances, one goal and no assists.
That is a significant difference from his club numbers.
Yamal certainly remained talented and capable of producing moments of brilliance, but he did not look like the same dominant, game-changing force that Barcelona supporters had become accustomed to watching. At times, he simply looked like another excellent player within an outstanding Spanish team rather than the player who was clearly carrying the attack.
That distinction matters enormously in a Ballon d'Or debate.
Indeed, one could argue that Spain were strong enough collectively that they could still have won the World Cup with another high-level winger occupying Yamal's position. That is not an attempt to diminish his talent or his contribution to the tournament, but it highlights the difference between being part of a world-class team and being its undisputed best individual player.
Trophies Shouldn't Decide the Ballon d'Or Alone
Yamal's supporters can point to an incredible list of achievements. Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, while Spain went on to become world champions.
Those are enormous accomplishments, particularly for a player who was still only 18 during much of the season.
But this is precisely where the Ballon d'Or debate needs to be separated from a simple trophy count.
The award is supposed to recognise the best individual footballer, not necessarily the player who won the most important competitions. If winning every major trophy were enough, individual performances would become secondary.
Yamal was phenomenal for Barcelona, but his relatively modest individual impact at the World Cup weakens his overall case when compared with players who were consistently decisive throughout the entire campaign.
Verdict
There is no question that Lamine Yamal deserves to be among the leading Ballon d'Or candidates. His 16 goals and 11 assists in La Liga, combined with six goals and four assists in the Champions League, demonstrate just how exceptional his Barcelona season was.
However, if the Ballon d'Or is genuinely an award for the best individual player, rather than simply the footballer who collected the most historic titles, Yamal should not win it.
He had an extraordinary club season and helped Spain become world champions. But his international tournament was not individually extraordinary. Trophies matter, but individual dominance should matter more, and that is why Yamal shouldn't be crowned the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner.