LONDON, United Kingdom – Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, capping a landmark night at the London Palladium as football’s leading players and coaches gathered for the award’s 70th anniversary ceremony.
The 19-year-old Spain international claimed the prestigious individual honour after competing against a field that included England captain Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and defending champion Ousmane Dembélé.
Yamal’s victory adds another major individual accolade to his growing collection and marks a significant milestone in his career with Barcelona and Spain.
Yamal and López win young-player awards
Barcelona enjoyed early success at the ceremony, with Yamal winning the men’s young-player award and teammate Vicky López taking the women’s honour.
The awards recognised the performances of the two Spanish internationals during the 2025–26 season. López’s win also continued Barcelona’s presence among the leading names in women’s football.
Yamal entered the ceremony competing for both the young-player prize and the main men’s Ballon d’Or. His success in the latter category elevated the night beyond his previous achievements in the award’s youth category.
Coaches recognised at the London ceremony
Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente received the men’s coach of the year award, while Barcelona manager Pere Romeu won the women’s coaching honour, according to the results supplied from the ceremony.
Their awards highlighted the role of national-team and club management in a season that brought individual recognition to players from both the men’s and women’s games.
Messi, Kane and Mbappé among the leading contenders
The men’s Ballon d’Or race attracted particular attention because of the range of candidates, from established stars to younger players reaching the peak of their careers.
Messi, an eight-time winner, was among the nominees, alongside Kane and Mbappé. Dembélé entered the ceremony as the defending champion after winning the 2025 award.
The ceremony also featured awards for goalkeepers, strikers, clubs and other individual achievements across men’s and women’s football.
The 2026 edition was staged in London for the first time, moving the event from its recent Paris venue to the London Palladium to mark the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or, first awarded in 1956 to England’s Stanley Matthews.
