Spain manager endorses Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal for Ballon d’Or: ‘I think he can win it’
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The 2026 edition of the Ballon d’Or is going to be one of the most tightly contested in quite some time, with at least three candidates in the running.
FC Barcelona rising superstar Lamine Yamal is among the favourites to win, but the attacker could find competition from teammate Rodri and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane.
Yamal, though, has received endorsement from Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the Spanish national team, to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
What de la Fuente said about Yamal
In a recent interaction, De la Fuente insisted a Spanish footballer should claim the award this year, and pointed directly to Lamine.
A top contender for Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
“I think that Lamine Yamal can win the Ballon d’Or because he is Spanish and he is a great footballer,” he said (h/t SPORT).
The coach went further, suggesting the Barcelona star would have numerous opportunities to win the prize in the years to come.
“If it’s not this year, it’ll be in the future; I don’t think it’s too long in winning it,” he added.
De la Fuente also praised Lamine’s blistering start to the season. “I’m seeing it very well in this start of the course and we want to enjoy it for many years,” he said.
Espart tipped for the future
Espart’s breakthrough has impressed de la Fuente. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images)
The Spain boss was also quizzed on Xavi Espart, who has impressed early this season under Hansi Flick and is being tipped as one of the country’s brightest emerging talents.
De la Fuente left the door open to the youngster but urged patience, mindful of the strength of Spain’s current squad.
“In the future they will surely be,” the coach said, before adding that he holds “respect for a generation of footballers who have won it absolutely all these years.”
“You don’t have to be in such a hurry,” de la Fuente concluded.
In the same interview, De la Fuente also heaped praise on Real Madrid’s new signing Carlos Espi but added that both Espart and Espi do not need to be in a hurry to be integrated into the Spain national team.