Lamine Yamal becomes youngest Ballon d’Or podium finisher at 19
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Tuko
Lamine Yamal, the FC Barcelona and Spain forward, finished third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or at 19, setting a record in the award’s history. The ceremony was held in London on 26 October, according to Tuko, which also reports Harry Kane’s victory.
Lamine Yamal, a forward for FC Barcelona and Spain, finished third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or in London, according to Tuko. At 19, he also won the award for best young player for the third consecutive year, a record in the history of the award.
The Spaniard won the award at 17 after his country’s victory at Euro 2024, then at 18 after FC Barcelona’s domestic treble. He retained it at 19 after playing a central role in Spain’s victory at the 2026 World Cup, Tuko reports.
During the 2025-2026 season, Yamal scored about 24 goals and provided 18 assists in 45 appearances for FC Barcelona. In the main Ballon d’Or ranking, he finished behind Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé. Kane also won the Gerd Müller Trophy, awarded to the season’s top scorer.
