Lamine Yamal named Ballon d’Or 2026 winner in online leak

Lamine Yamal has been identified as the reported winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, a claim that would make him the youngest player ever to receive the award. The announcement comes before the official ceremony and has not been confirmed by the organisers.

The gala is scheduled for 26 October in London, leaving three weeks between the online disclosure and the presentation. Yamal is among a wide group of contenders that includes Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Harry Kane, Lionel Messi and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. No candidate had clearly met every criterion before the claim emerged.

The account behind the announcement, operating under the name @MadeInArsenal6 and also known as “Z”, has previously named the last three winners ahead of their ceremonies. It identified Messi for 2023, Rodri for 2024 and Dembélé for 2025, and at times predicted the podium order. Its record has also included incorrect predictions, leaving the latest claim unverified.

Yamal’s season gives the allegation sporting weight. He won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup with Barcelona before helping Spain win the 2026 World Cup. His performances at the tournament were not especially strong over the summer, but those honours place him among the leading candidates for the prize.