"It would be a bigger injustice than 2010": Barcelona sound the general alarm over the Ballon d'Or

What happened after the South Africa World Cup?

Lamine Yamal has fired the starting gun on the 2026 Ballon d'Or race early. The young Spaniard put himself at the heart of the conversation, arguing that what he has achieved this season makes him the most deserving of football's most prestigious individual prize, ahead even of his direct rival Kylian Mbappé.

Speaking in a special interview with the legendary Jorge Valdano on the programme "Universo Valdano", Yamal made his case with striking confidence: "Who would I give it to? To the best player in the world. I think there are perhaps two of us who are the best in the world, and this year I deserve it for what I have achieved. For me, Mbappé and I are the best in the world, and that is completely clear, everyone who watches the matches knows that."

Ballon d'Or obsession: consensus within Barcelona

Renowned Spanish journalist Antón Meana believes Yamal is treating the award as a declared personal goal, unlike the legends who came before him at the Catalan club.

Meana said, on the popular programme "Carrusel Deportivo" on Cadena SER radio: "Lamine Yamal plays for the Ballon d'Or. Just a few days ago the club had not taken an official position on his nomination, and now it has become a consensus: the coach, the president, the sporting director."

"Everyone says that Lamine Yamal deserves it, and Lamine himself declares it openly," he continued. "He does so in the press conference before the Champions League match and on Valdano's programme because he wants to play this game."

Then came the comparison that cut deepest. "Messi did not play to win Ballon d'Or awards; he played to win titles, but Lamine thinks about the Ballon d'Or all the time. It is like an obsession for him, he wants to win it, he is young, but he wants to win it now, and if possible this season."

"A greater injustice than South Africa 2010"

Meana built his conclusive argument on a striking historical parallel. He recalled the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where Messi's Argentina were dumped out 4-0 by Germany in the quarter-finals while Spain lifted the trophy through Andrés Iniesta's historic goal in the final. The Ballon d'Or still went to Messi that year, with Iniesta and Xavi finishing second and third.

"I realise that it was not the Lamine Yamal who would go on to play at Euro 2024," Meana said, "but I believe that losing the Ballon d'Or this year would be a greater injustice than losing it in South Africa 2010."

He pointed to Yamal's direct superiority over Mbappé this season. It runs beyond club level and his La Liga title, in the same league Mbappé plays in, extending to the international stage after he led Spain to World Cup glory following the elimination of Mbappé's France in the semi-finals.

Titles decide the Lamal and Mbappé battle

Analyst Luis Flaquer agreed, stressing that collective silverware would settle the contest. "If the competition is confined to Lamine and Mbappé, then I think the matter is settled, because team titles are the deciding factor, and it is one of the conditions for winning the Ballon d'Or."

"In terms of talent, there may be a difference, for as Lamine says, both are the best players in the world," he continued. "But in terms of team titles, Lamine surpassed Mbappé in the league and in the World Cup as well, where Lamine dominated Mbappé and won the tournament."

Barcelona's strategy behind the scenes

Journalist Jordi Martí, for his part, revealed a comprehensive strategy inside Barcelona to back their jewel's nomination. The matter, he explained, goes far beyond performance on the pitch.

Martí said: "I think it is good for Barcelona to support a player, and that having such a large number of World Cup winners will help to unify the votes. I believe in the importance of performance on the pitch, but we also know that the politics and the deals struck behind the scenes in the ten days preceding the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony play an extremely important role. The club must work as a single entity."

"There is a lot at stake here," he added. "We must appreciate Lamine's merit, his performance, his successes and his development, because Lamine is not just a talent, he possesses maturity, intelligence, composure, responsibility, commitment and other qualities that are added to his talent. And it makes sense, for the Lamine brand, as well as for Barcelona, that a potential Ballon d'Or win should be a fundamental strategy for the club."