Barcelona president Joan Laporta has delivered a strong message of support for Lamine Yamal after the teenager missed out on the 2026 Ballon d’Or, insisting that the Barcelona sensation will eventually win football’s most prestigious individual award.
Yamal finished third in Monday night’s voting in London, behind Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who claimed the Golden Ball, and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, who secured second place.
Despite the disappointment, Laporta remains convinced that the Spanish international has the talent and potential to reach the summit of world football. The Barcelona president believes the teenager’s achievements already make him a worthy contender and has urged him to use the result as motivation for another attempt at the award.
Speaking after the ceremony, Laporta expressed his confidence in Yamal’s future, making it clear that Barcelona would continue to support the young forward as he pursues further individual and collective honours.
“I am convinced that he will win the Ballon d’Or. I do not know when, but he deserved it,” Laporta said, according to the report published by Mundo Deportivo.
The Barcelona president also acknowledged the voting outcome, insisting that the club must respect the decision while maintaining its belief in Yamal’s ability.
In his assessment, the teenager had produced a campaign worthy of serious consideration for the award. However, the final decision belonged to the voters, and Laporta urged his player to accept the outcome professionally.
He hopes the disappointment will provide additional motivation for Yamal to improve and return stronger in the next Ballon d’Or race.
Yamal Makes History Despite Missing Out on the Main Prize
Although Yamal failed to secure the men’s Ballon d’Or, the 19-year-old still left the London ceremony with an important achievement.
The Barcelona forward won the men’s young talent award for the third consecutive year, reinforcing his position among the leading young players in world football.
His latest recognition extends a remarkable run that began when he emerged as one of Barcelona’s brightest prospects at just 16 years old.
Since then, Yamal has developed into a central figure for Barcelona, combining exceptional dribbling, creativity, close control and attacking intelligence to trouble defenders across Spain and Europe.
His influence has also extended to international football, where he has continued to establish himself as an important member of Spain’s national team.
For Laporta, the teenager’s continued recognition at the highest level demonstrates why Barcelona must remain patient and provide the right environment for his development.
The president called on supporters and teammates to give Yamal the encouragement he needs rather than allowing the Ballon d’Or disappointment to overshadow his achievements.
Laporta believes the young forward still has significant room to develop and could become a leading contender for the main award in the coming years.
Harry Kane Ends England’s 25-Year Wait
While Laporta defended Yamal’s credentials, Kane celebrated a landmark moment in his career by becoming the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the men’s Ballon d’Or.
The Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of Mbappé and Yamal following an outstanding 2025/26 campaign for club and country.
Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances across all competitions for Bayern and England, according to UEFA’s report on the ceremony. His goalscoring consistency helped Bayern retain the Bundesliga title and secure a domestic treble.
He also finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for the third consecutive season and scored 14 times in the Champions League as Bayern reached the semi-finals.
Those achievements strengthened his case for the award and ultimately placed him ahead of two of the other leading contenders.
Kane’s victory also demonstrated how individual excellence and team success can combine to shape the outcome of football’s most celebrated individual prize.
For Yamal, the result offers a fresh challenge. Having finished third, the Barcelona star will now have to turn his considerable potential into an even stronger case for future recognition.
Laporta Also Responds to Barcelona’s El Clásico Defeat
Beyond the Ballon d’Or debate, Laporta addressed Barcelona’s defeat to Real Madrid, urging the team to treat the setback as an opportunity to learn rather than allowing it to derail their ambitions for the season.
The loss was a significant disappointment for the Catalan club, but Laporta insisted that Barcelona’s broader objectives remained unchanged.
He expressed confidence in the squad and backed head coach Hansi Flick to identify the problems exposed during the match and guide the team towards improvement.
Laporta maintained that Barcelona had made a positive start to the campaign and should continue working within the same broader framework.
He also emphasised that the players and coaching staff deserved the supporters’ confidence, despite the disappointment of losing one of Spanish football’s biggest fixtures.
For Barcelona, the immediate priority is to respond positively on the pitch. The club cannot afford to let frustration over the Clásico result or the Ballon d’Or outcome distract it from the demands of a long season.
Laporta’s message is therefore twofold: Yamal must continue developing his game, while the entire squad must demonstrate resilience after the defeat to their fiercest rivals.
Ultimately, Kane has the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but Laporta believes Yamal’s story is far from finished.
At 19, the Barcelona forward has already established himself among football’s most exciting talents. Whether he can eventually claim the sport’s biggest individual honour will depend on his future performances, consistency and achievements with Barcelona and Spain.
For now, the club president has made his position clear: Barcelona believes in Yamal, and the disappointment of missing out on the Ballon d’Or should become motivation for the next chapter of his career.
