French World Cup winner snubs Mbappe, tips Yamal for 2026 Ballon d'Or

France's 1998 World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu has backed Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, placing the teenager ahead of Kylian Mbappe and other leading contenders.

With the ceremony approaching, the former France international believes Yamal's extraordinary talent and ability to produce moments of brilliance make him the standout candidate.

Speaking on the Téléfoot programme, Lizarazu explained that collective achievements and individual brilliance would determine his choice for football's most prestigious individual award.

The former Bayern Munich and Athletic Bilbao defender identified Paris Saint-Germain's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Barcelona's Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé among the leading candidates before ultimately settling on the Spanish teenager.

"I will try to stick to my criteria, which are primarily collective. There was a season with two major competitions: the Champions League and the World Cup. So it will come down to Kvaratskhelia, Yamal and Dembélé," Lizarazu said.

He then explained why Yamal emerged as his preferred candidate, highlighting the youngster's ability to elevate his performances and produce moments of genius.

"And then the other criterion is the thrill, the genius. And there, for me, only Yamal remains. What he does on a pitch, especially recently, he has raised his level even further."

Although Lizarazu acknowledged that Yamal's World Cup performances were not exceptional, he pointed to the teenager's status as a world champion and his success in Spanish football as important considerations.

"It is true that his World Cup was not incredible, but he is still a world champion, he won the Spanish league and he is a phenomenal player," he added.

While backing Yamal, Lizarazu also defended Dembélé against criticism of his performances for the French national team.

The PSG forward recently scored and provided an assist after coming off the bench against Strasbourg, demonstrating the quality that helped him win the previous Ballon d'Or.

Lizarazu argued that Dembélé's struggles with France should not overshadow his achievements at club level, where he has excelled in Luis Enrique's tactical system.

"I smile because he has been heavily criticised with the French national team. We always tend to make short-term analyses. Dembélé is a very good player; he did not become a Ballon d'Or winner by chance," he said.

The former defender believes France manager Zinédine Zidane must find a way to maximise Dembélé's strengths, allowing him to reproduce the performances he delivers for PSG.

However, when it comes to the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Lizarazu's preference is clear: Yamal's combination of team success and individual brilliance makes him his leading candidate.