Barcelona president Joan Laporta has spoken in support of Lamine Yamal’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, saying the Spanish winger should be considered for football’s most prestigious individual award.
Yamal is among the candidates for the 2025-26 Ballon d’Or after winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain last summer. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October.
Laporta’s comments centre on the qualities he believes make Yamal worthy of the prize. The Barcelona president described the player as “a genius”, underlining his belief that Yamal’s performances and influence merit recognition at the highest individual level.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup forms part of the case for Yamal’s candidacy, with the Spanish winger having helped his country to success during the tournament last summer. His inclusion among the contenders means he is in the running for the award covering the 2025-26 season.
The Ballon d’Or decision will be confirmed in London on 26 October, when the leading candidates will discover who has been selected as the winner. Until then, Yamal remains one of the players being considered for the honour.
Laporta’s intervention adds the public backing of Barcelona’s president to Yamal’s campaign. By calling him a genius, Laporta has made clear the strength of his view that the winger deserves to be placed at the forefront of the Ballon d’Or discussion.
The award is based on performances over the 2025-26 season, while Yamal’s success with Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is identified as a central part of his claim. The final result will be announced at the London ceremony on 26 October.
For Barcelona, the nomination gives the club a prominent place in the debate surrounding the season’s leading individual player. For Yamal, it represents recognition among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or after his World Cup triumph with Spain.
Laporta’s message is straightforward: in his view, Yamal’s ability and achievements make him a deserving contender, and his status as “a genius” is the reason the Barcelona president believes he should receive the award.