Neymar Names His Favourite to Win 2026 Ballon d’Or

Brazilian football star Neymar has backed Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, describing the Spanish teenager as the best player in the world. Neymar made his position clear through an Instagram post in which he tagged Yamal and shared a statistical comparison between the youngster’s current form and his own best season at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

The Brazilian, who previously played for Barcelona and PSG, shared a graphic comparing Yamal’s performances with his 2017/18 campaign in France. Neymar recorded 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 appearances during that season, while Yamal had registered eight goals and nine assists in his first 10 matches of the ongoing campaign.

Neymar captioned the post with the words, “The best in the world,” giving the Barcelona star a major endorsement ahead of the prestigious individual award. Yamal has established himself as one of football’s brightest young talents, attracting attention for his performances and growing influence at Barcelona. However, the 19-year-old faces stiff competition from other leading players, including Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe. Kane has enjoyed an impressive spell in front of goal, while Mbappe remains among the leading contenders for football’s most prestigious individual award.

The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, 2026. The event will determine the successor to reigning men’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele. Yamal’s chances of winning will depend on how voters assess the performances of the leading contenders during the award’s evaluation period. Neymar’s endorsement has added to the debate over who deserves to take home the coveted trophy.

https://www.tuko.co.ke/sports/football/643822-neymar-names-favourite-2026-ballon-d-london-ceremony/

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