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Lamine Yamal achieves historic Ballon d’Or milestone despite heartbreak
Oct 27 2026 16:48 · By onefootball.com · 0 Reads
Barcelona rising superstar Lamine Yamal continues to rewrite football history, becoming the first player to finish in the Ballon d’Or top 10 in three consecutive editions before turning 20.
The Barcelona superstar finished third in the 2026 rankings behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe, following an eighth-place finish in 2024 and a runner-up position in 2025.
At just 19, Yamal has already established himself among the world’s elite players. His growing collection of individual honours and team trophies reflects a remarkable rise that began when he broke into Barcelona’s first team as a 15-year-old.
His achievements already include a World Cup, a European Championship, three La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey and two Spanish Super Cups.
Lamine Yamal makes history with three consecutive top-10 finishes
Lamine’s Ballon d’Or journey began in 2024, when he finished eighth at just 17 years old. His current teammate Rodri, still at Manchester City at the time, won the award ahead of Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham.
Yamal’s eighth-place finish was an extraordinary achievement for a player still establishing himself in senior football.
He also won his first Kopa Trophy in the same year, recognising him as the world’s best young player.
Going from strength to strength
Lamine made another significant leap in 2025, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or rankings behind Ousmane Dembele.
At 18, he came close to claiming the biggest individual prize in football, confirming that he was already a leading figure rather than simply a prospect for the future.
Sky is the limit for Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
He also retained the Kopa Trophy, becoming a two-time winner of the award.
Lamine finished third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings, behind England captain Kane and Mbappe. The result extended his remarkable run to three consecutive top-10 finishes, including two successive appearances on the podium.
The 19-year-old wonderkid’s individual success continued at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where he received the award recognising the world’s best young talent for the third consecutive year.
While the ceremony might have ended in disappointment for the Barcelona sensation, his progression from eighth to back-to-back podium finishes in the Ballon d’Or rankings demonstrates his meteoric rise at only 19.
The next challenge is to turn these podium finishes into a victory, and judging by how his career has progressed, the final step might not take long.