Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente believes Lamine Yamal is destined to win multiple Ballon d’Or awards, despite the Barcelona youngster finishing third in the 2026 voting.

According to a report by Barca Universal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, De la Fuente has urged the 19-year-old to remain calm and focused, expressing confidence that his exceptional ability will eventually bring him football’s biggest individual prize.

Yamal finished behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in London. However, the Barcelona winger had another reason to celebrate after claiming the Kopa Trophy for the third successive year.

Speaking to COPE, De la Fuente backed the teenager to enjoy even greater success in the future.

“Lamine is going to win many Ballons d’Or. He should rest easy, because we know who he is and the potential he possesses,” the Spain manager said.

The national team coach’s message comes after Yamal missed out on the main award, offering the youngster reassurance that his opportunity to claim the honour will come. Rather than allowing the result to discourage him, the teenager can use it as motivation to continue developing.

De la Fuente, who was named Men’s Coach of the Year, remains convinced that Yamal has the qualities required to reach the highest level of the game.

His backing also comes at a challenging moment for Barcelona, who have suffered consecutive defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Although Yamal found the net against PSG, his overall display attracted criticism, while he was unable to make a significant impact in Sunday’s El Clasico defeat.

However, those difficult performances should not diminish what the teenager has already achieved. At just 19, he is still developing, and maintaining a consistently high level in every major match is a challenge even for established stars.

Barcelona will also need to manage the expectations surrounding Yamal carefully to ensure that the pressure of individual awards does not interfere with his progress. Improving his decision-making, consistency and goalscoring will be important steps in his development.

With the right guidance and continued improvement, Yamal has every opportunity to challenge for the Ballon d’Or again. For now, his focus will be on learning from recent setbacks and building on the remarkable achievements of his young career.