It has been revealed what Barcelona star Lamine Yamal needs to do to become a contender for the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Meanwhile, legendary footballer Ruud Gullit has not ruled out the possibility of Lionel Messi winning the award for a ninth time. This is reported by Goal.com reports .
The title of the world's best player usually goes to the star who shines at the summer World Cup. Lionel Messi achieved exactly that at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, winning his eighth Ballon d'Or. He is currently three trophies ahead of his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, continues his career at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. The question arises: if he leads the Portugal national team to victory as captain at the 2026 World Cup, could he return to the race for the Ballon d'Or?
Ruud Gullit shared his thoughts on this: "If Messi plays a decisive role in his team's victory, he will certainly be a contender again. But Ronaldo wants the same, and Portugal has a very strong squad."
As for young talent Lamine Yamal, Gullit emphasized that his chances depend on his performance at the World Cup. "Even if Yamal wins the Champions League, success at the World Cup is crucial to competing for the Ballon d'Or," added the Dutch expert.
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