Lamine Yamal Names Himself, Mbappé as World’s Best Players

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has claimed that he and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé are currently the two best players in the world.

Yamal made the statement during an interview with Movistar while discussing the 2026 Ballon d’Or race and the impact of international success on the award.

The Spain international argued that even if England had won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his opinion about the world’s top players would not have changed.

“Even if England had won the World Cup, I’d still say that Mbappé and I are the two best players in the world,” Yamal said.

He also distinguished between winning the World Cup and winning the Ballon d’Or, arguing that the individual award should be based on a player’s overall performance rather than simply the success of their national team.

“The Ballon d’Or isn’t about who wins, it’s for the best player. It’s different concept,” he added.

Yamal believes he has an advantage over Mbappé in the Ballon d’Or discussion because of Barcelona’s success and his personal achievements during the season.

“Mbappé plays for Real Madrid and I play for Barça, so we have a direct rivalry… and I’ve beaten him in terms of trophies,” the teenager said.

Yamal added: “I think there could be Mbappé and me as best player in the world and this year, I believe I deserve it.”