Raphinha: Lamine Yamal Should Win the Ballon d’Or

Barcelona captain Raphinha has thrown his full support behind teammate Lamine Yamal in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, insisting he has no doubts about who deserves the prestigious individual award.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Raphinha pointed to a combination of individual statistics, collective success and the qualities Yamal brings on the pitch.

“I have no doubts. Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d’Or,” Raphinha said.

“It depends on individual stats, collective titles, magic, charisma, and many things. Lamine has them all.”

Raphinha highlighted Yamal’s numbers and his contribution to Barcelona and Spain during the previous season. The teenager helped Barcelona to LaLiga and Copa del Rey success, before playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph. Reports also note that Yamal registered 24 goals and 21 assists in 49 appearances for Barcelona last season.

“He has incredible numbers, and not only last season. Three titles, with a World Cup,” Raphinha added.

Yamal is among the 30 nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or, while Raphinha was notably absent from the final shortlist despite finishing fifth in the previous edition.

With the voting deadline approaching, Raphinha has made his position clear: for the Barcelona captain, Yamal’s statistics, trophies and individual brilliance make him the player he believes should claim the award.