Former Barcelona star Zlatan Ibrahimovic discussed the Ballon d'Or winner for this year in a recent interview. When asked who he thought would win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Ibrahimovic immediately chose Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, believing him to be one of the best performers of the 2025-26 season.

This is not the first time Ibrahimovic has publicly backed Yamal for the Ballon d'Or. Last month, during an appearance on the show "Cold As Ice" with Kevin Hart, Ibrahimovic stated that Yamal was his preferred player and considered him an ideal candidate for the Ballon d'Or.

Ibrahimovic said at the time: "If I have to choose one person, of course I would choose Yamal. Right now, Yamal is my player."

Yamal himself previously admitted that he hopes to win this year's Ballon d'Or but stated that he would not campaign for it. In his view, his on-field performance, not off-field promotion, should ultimately determine whether he wins the award.

Yamal stated: "First of all, who wins the Ballon d'Or is not decided by me, but by you, the media. This year, both at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team, I've had a very good season. I think because I had a great season, I have a chance to win the award."

"I don't think I need to campaign specifically for it. I'm proud of the year I've had. I won the World Cup and La Liga—there's nothing more to ask for. There are other players who have also performed exceptionally well, but the final decision is in your hands. I won't ask anyone to give me this award."

Over the past month, Yamal has repeatedly spoken about the Ballon d'Or, while Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé is also considered one of the top contenders for this year's award. 

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