Yamal Reacts to Dembélé Leaving Him Out of Ballon d’Or Top Three

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has reacted humorously to Ousmane Dembélé leaving him out of his top three choices for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, joking that the Paris Saint-Germain forward may have been influenced by his close friendship with Kylian Mbappé.

Yamal made the playful remark after Dembélé, who is among the leading contenders for the prestigious individual award, opted not to include the Barcelona star among his three preferred players.

According to a post by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X on Wednesday, Yamal smiled and said, “He’s Kylian Mbappé’s friend, right?”

Despite the joke, Yamal stressed that he has no problem with Dembélé’s decision and understands that the French forward is entitled to select the players he believes deserve recognition.

“I’m very happy with the season I had. I think every time we faced each other, I probably did something that made them dislike me! And that’s normal,” Yamal said.

He added that his relationship with Dembélé remains positive despite their rivalry on the pitch.
“My relationship with Ousmane is very good, and I understand that he wants to choose other players,” the Spain international said.

Yamal also defended his credentials in the Ballon d’Or race, expressing confidence that his performances throughout the season were strong enough to speak for themselves.

“But I’m very happy with what I delivered this year, and I’m confident that everyone watched it, even if he didn’t,” he added.

The exchange adds a light-hearted dimension to the Ballon d’Or debate, with Yamal combining humour with confidence in his own achievements while maintaining respect for Dembélé.

The Barcelona youngster has also made an impressive start to the new LaLiga campaign.

He has scored four goals in his first four league appearances, including two goals against Rayo Vallecano and another two against Valencia.

At just 19, Yamal continues to attract significant attention as one of the leading young talents in world football.

His performances for Barcelona and Spain have strengthened his reputation and placed him among the players expected to compete for major individual honours in the coming years.

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