Lamine Yamal claims he and Mbappé are the world’s best players

Lamine Yamal has claimed that he and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé are the two best players in the world, regardless of who won the 2026 World Cup.

The Barcelona winger made the claim during an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar.

Yamal said England winning the World Cup would not have changed his view of the two players.

He argued that the Ballon d’Or should recognise individual performance rather than simply reward players whose teams win major competitions.

“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.

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

The comments come as attention turns to the Ballon d’Or race and the performances of some of football’s biggest stars.

Yamal, who has emerged as one of Barcelona’s leading attacking players, continues to attract global attention because of his performances and growing influence.

Mbappé, meanwhile, remains one of the most prominent forwards in world football after establishing himself at Real Madrid.

However, the Ballon d’Or debate often extends beyond individual statistics. Voters also consider a player’s performances, influence and achievements during the assessment period.

Therefore, Yamal’s comments are likely to add another talking point to the debate over the award.

The young Barcelona star has also made clear that winning a major tournament is not, in his view, enough on its own to determine the world’s best individual player.

For now, his assessment places himself alongside Mbappé at the top of the global game.