Lamine Yamal Rejects Ballon d’Or Campaign, Says Award Is Beyond His Control

 Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has stated that he will not campaign or beg for votes as he pursues the prestigious 2026 Ballon d’Or award.

The teenage football sensation made his position known while speaking to reporters on Tuesday ahead of Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League clash against Feyenoord.

Yamal stressed that everyone is entitled to their opinion regarding who deserves the individual honour and insisted that winning the Ballon d’Or is not something he can personally control.

The Barcelona star said he does not believe he needs to campaign for the award or plead with voters to support him.

“I don’t think I need to campaign for the Ballon d’Or. Everyone is entitled to think whatever they want. I’m not here to campaign, and I’m not going to beg for anything. That’s your job. It’s not on me,” Yamal said.

The 19-year-old also expressed satisfaction with his performances for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team, stressing that any individual recognition would be closely connected to the collective success achieved with both sides.

Yamal added that if he eventually wins the prestigious award, he would be grateful to his teammates at Barcelona and with the national team for their contributions.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, with Yamal among the players expected to attract significant attention in the race for the coveted individual prize.