Lamine Yamal Reveals He Is ‘Happy’ Ousmane Dembélé Won the Ballon d’Or Instead of Him

Lamine Yamal has offered a candid reflection on finishing second in the Ballon d’Or race last year, telling reporters he now considers the outcome a positive one rather than a disappointment.

The 18-year-old Barcelona and Spain winger, who lost out on the award to his close friend and former club teammate Ousmane Dembélé, acknowledged that he had initially expected to claim the trophy before concluding the defeat served him well. “Honestly, if I’m being sincere, I thought I was going to win it that day because of many things that happened. Looking back, I think it was very good for me that Dembélé won it,” Yamal said.

“Beyond helping me grow personally, I don’t think it was the right time for me to win it because I was still a kid and probably wouldn’t have appreciated what it really means to win a Ballon d’Or. Let’s see if this year is mine,” he added.

Had Yamal claimed the award last year at the age of 17, he would have become the youngest recipient in the history of the Ballon d’Or, surpassing Ronaldo Nazário’s long-standing record, which was set in 1997 when the Brazilian was 21 years old. That historic milestone remains available to him should he win the prize this year at 18.

Yamal’s standing as a leading contender for the 2026 edition of the award is underpinned by a strong domestic campaign. He was named the 2025/26 LaLiga Player of the Season and played an instrumental role in guiding Barcelona to consecutive La Liga titles. The season follows his pivotal contribution to Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph, during which he emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers despite being just 16 at the time.

Attention now turns to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer. Spain enter the tournament among the bookmakers’ favourites, with Yamal widely credited as a key factor behind that assessment. His performances at a second major international tournament would significantly bolster his case for individual recognition later in the year.

At club level, Yamal’s consistency across the 2025/26 season demonstrated that his earlier breakthrough was no anomaly. The winger has now established himself as a central figure in both Barcelona’s attacking structure and Spain’s national team setup, providing a level of output rarely associated with players his age at the highest level of the game.