Lamine Yamal may have played his way into another level of the Ballon d’Or debate.

The Barcelona winger was at the heart of Spain’s 3-2 Nations League victory over England at Wembley, scoring and repeatedly causing problems for one of Europe’s strongest international sides.

Indeed, the match will not count towards the 2025-26 Ballon d’Or voting, which closes today, but it offered a useful reminder of why Yamal’s name belongs in the conversation.

His case is not built around numbers alone, because at just 19, Yamal has already become one of Barcelona and Spain’s players trusted to make something happen when matches become difficult.

Yamal has far more than goals on his resume

Yamal’s 2025-26 campaign gave voters plenty to consider, as Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, while the teenager finished the domestic season with 24 goals and 17 assists across 45 appearances.

Lamine Yamal has strong reasons to win the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

He scored 16 times in La Liga, collected 11 assists and shared the Zarra Trophy with Ferran Torres.

Crucially, Yamal scored, assisted or won a penalty in 20 of the 26 league matches he started, and that ability to directly alter games is central to his Ballon d’Or argument.

The Champions League brought another six goals and four assists, with Yamal contributing in eight of Barcelona’s 10 matches.

The World Cup could define Yamal’s claim

On top of that, Yamal’s international achievements strengthen the argument, having helped Spain win the World Cup after beating Argentina in the final.

As a result, he became the youngest player to win both the European Championship and World Cup before turning 20.

Lamine Yamal has reasons to dream. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

During the tournament, he scored against Saudi Arabia and collected player-of-the-match awards against Austria and Belgium.

He also finished the European campaign as the youngest player to record 10 goals and 10 assists, surpassing Erling Haaland’s previous mark for reaching that combination at such an early age.

Yamal’s case rests on influence, not just statistics

The strongest part of Yamal’s candidacy is the combination of production and responsibility.

He is not only accumulating goals and assists from a strong Barcelona side; he is increasingly being asked to decide high-quality matches, which separates his candidacy from a purely statistical argument.

Notably, the final verdict will come at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26, 2026, and until then, his Wembley performance is a reminder of the level he has already reached.