‘My Moment Will Come’: Yamal Reacts To Ballon d’Or Defeat
Barcelona Star Vows To Wait For His Moment After Finishing Third Behind Harry Kane And Kylian Mbappé
Lamine Yamal has broken his silence after finishing third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, insisting that his time will come as he looks to build on another successful season with Barcelona and Spain.
The 19-year-old winger, who retained the Kopa Trophy for a third consecutive year, shared a message of patience and confidence on Instagram a day after Harry Kane claimed football’s most prestigious individual award, with Kylian Mbappé finishing second.
‘It will come. Good things take time, and I trust the path I am building. No rush, full of hope and confident that my moment will arrive one day,’ Yamal wrote.
The Barcelona youngster had arrived at the ceremony believing he had a chance of winning the Ballon d’Or, having finished second in last year’s voting behind Ousmane Dembélé.
Despite missing out on the main prize, Yamal secured a place on the podium for the second consecutive year, underlining his status among the leading players in world football.
He had strong numbers to support his candidacy. According to Sofascore, Yamal finished the season with an average rating of 7.83, ahead of Kane’s 7.78. He also registered 20 assists and created 52 clear-cut chances, while Kane ended the campaign with 73 goals.
Yamal’s Instagram post attracted more than 960,000 likes within 30 minutes, with several prominent figures offering messages of encouragement.
His partner, Inés García, praised his work ethic and ambition, expressing confidence that he would eventually reach the summit. Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo also backed the teenager, writing: ‘No doubt it will come, wachin. Let’s go up!! You’re the best.’
Teammate Fermín López added: ‘It will come, and more than once. Always with you,’ while Spotify, one of Barcelona’s sponsors, also sent a message of support.
Yamal’s immediate focus, however, remains on helping Barcelona return to winning ways rather than dwelling on the award he missed.
‘Congratulations to the winners. My focus now returns to what matters: getting FC Barcelona back to winning,’ he said.
