Jorge Mendes Declares Lamine Yamal Deserves Ballon d'Or

Jorge Mendes leaves no room for doubt. Standing by his car, surrounded by microphones and cameras, the super-agent delivered his verdict with the certainty of a referee’s final whistle.

"The Ballon d'Or is for Lamine Yamal, without a doubt. The Ballon d'Or is for Lamine Yamal, he's the one who deserves it most. He is the best in the world, by a wide margin, and you know it," Mendes declared, as quoted by A Bola.

No caveats. No alternatives. In his eyes, the award already has a name on it.

The conviction doesn’t just come from the agent’s camp. It mirrors the belief of the player himself. In an interview with Universo Valdano, Lamine Yamal was asked the inevitable question: who should take home the Ballon d'Or?

"Who would I give it to? The best player in the world," he replied. "Honestly, as far as the best player in the world is concerned, maybe there are two of us, me and Mbappe. And I think I would deserve it this year because of what I've achieved."

No shyness. No scripted humility. Just a young star speaking as if he already belongs at the very top.

The La Masia product then doubled down, making his stance crystal clear: "Yes, for me it's very clear, and everyone who watches the matches knows that."

Between Mendes’ public backing and Yamal’s own unflinching self-belief, the message is unmistakable: they are not just entering the Ballon d'Or conversation. They are trying to own it.