Lamine Yamal says he is not focused on winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or and has prioritised success with Barcelona and Spain over the next 10 months.
The 18-year-old came second to Ousmane Dembele last year and will again be among the favourites to land the prize with Barca still fighting on three fronts: the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.
The winner, though, is likely to have played a large role in this summer’s World Cup and Yamal says his ambitions are collective, not individual.
He told Mundo Deportivo: “I don’t think about it, it’s a prize that if you think about it, you won’t have an answer. It is something that depends on what you win, how you play, on those who vote, it is not something that is decided solely on your game. I just want to enjoy things and win with Barça and the national team.”
Crunch period coming for Barcelona and Yamal
With 22 rounds of the Liga season done and the league phase of the Champions League completed, it is getting towards the business end of the season and Yamal knows it is now time to move through the gears.
He added: “Now the important moments come and that’s where the quality players of our team have to come out. I’m enjoying this moment and I’m going for more.”
Barca lead the Liga table by one point from Real Madrid and Yamal knows there is little room for error.
“It is the most difficult competition because it is the longest,” he said. “Until the end nothing is decided and like last year, we will have to fight until the end, add points, not lose any games, because they are all important.”
Barca advanced to the round of 16 in the Champions League without the need to participate in the play-offs but the teenager does not believe a top-eight finish has a huge bearing on what’s to come as the club chase their first continental crown in 11 years.
“It’s different, the position doesn’t really tell you anything, only that we can rest more,” he said. “We will go with everything and try to win.”
