Surpassing Mbappe, Lamine Yamal named best in La Liga

At 19 years old, Lamine Yamal is not just the future of Barcelona but the present of La Liga. With 28 goal involvements (16 goals, 12 assists) in 28 La Liga matches in the 2026-2026 season, he surpassed Kylian Mbappe to win the Best Player in La Liga award voted by the Spanish Professional Footballers Association (AFE). This is the second consecutive time Yamal has won this prestigious award, an unprecedented achievement for a teenage player. While Mbappe scored 25 goals in 31 matches and won the top scorer title, his peers valued more highly Yamal's overall influence, assists, and ability to create breakthroughs. Barcelona successfully defended the La Liga title with 94 points, and Yamal continued his impressive start to the 2026-2027 season with 2 goals in the first 3 rounds, including a brace against Rayo Vallecano in a 5-2 victory. After receiving the award, Yamal said he treasures the award because it comes from his colleagues, and his biggest goal is to conquer the Champions League with Barcelona. Yamal's rise is not just a story of a young talent, but also a testament to the strength of the La Masia academy and the generational shift at the summit of Spanish football.