League: LaLiga Sport: Soccer Country: Spain Category: Scores & Results

Luis Figo selects Lamine Yamal over Messi, Mbappe for Ballon d'Or

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 26, 2026, 6:40 AM

Last updated Sep 26, 2026

Luis Figo selects Lamine Yamal over Messi, Mbappe for Ballon d'Or

Summary

Luis Figo endorsed Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d'Or, choosing the younger Barcelona player over Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in a recent challenge. The former Ballon d'Or winner highlighted Yamal's future potential compared to Messi's established legacy. Figo navigated through matchups featuring top players, ultimately placing Yamal in the final against Messi. He justified his choice by suggesting that it's time to recognize new talent, as Messi has already achieved much in his career.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Luis Figo participated in a Ballon d'Or head-to-head challenge.
•Yamal advanced past Messi, Mbappe, and others in the selections.
•Figo emphasized the potential of young players like Yamal.
•The final matchup saw Yamal against Messi, with Figo favoring the teenager.

Latest Updates

6:40 AMYahoo Sports — Luis Figo chooses Lamine Yamal over Messi and Mbappe in Ballon d’Or challenge

What they're saying

"
Luis Figo has backed Lamine Yamal to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, choosing the Barcelona youngster ahead of Lionel Messi in a final that brought together some of the biggest names in world footbal...
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Barcelona LaLiga Soccer