According to Marca, Yamal said he would not campaign for the Ballon d'Or, but his girlfriend has already announced the launch of related activities on social media.

The 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or has been announced, and Yamal is once again among the contenders for this important individual award. This season's star-studded cast and fierce competition for the championship, coupled with a World Cup that changed the landscape of football, have made the race for this year's Ballon d'Or particularly noteworthy. While other candidates are starting to build momentum, Yamal has stated that he will not actively campaign for the award.

At the pre-match press conference for Barcelona's first Champions League match against Feyenoord, a reporter asked Yamal if he would consider campaigning to win the Ballon d'Or.

Yamal said that there was no need for him to convince anyone off the field, and that his performance on the field had already done what needed to be done, and that it should ultimately be up to reporters to decide who deserved the honor.

Yamal said: "I don't think there's any need to campaign, everyone has their own ideas." He then further clarified: "I won't beg for anything."

It was thought that the topic had ended, but soon after, a social media post once again made Yamal's Ballon d'Or candidacy a focus of discussion.

Yamal's girlfriend has announced the launch of a personal campaign. Spanish content creator, model and influencer Ines Garcia-Santos mentioned the recognition Yamal received in a social media post.

She was preparing for a shoot at the time and posted a sentence: "My Ballon d'Or campaign starts now."

This contrasts with Yamal's attitude: Yamal said he had no intention of campaigning for the award or begging for recognition, while Ines seemed determined to do her part for her boyfriend's candidacy.

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