Lamine Yamal’s performance in Spain’s 3-2 victory over England at Wembley may well be remembered as the night he truly announced himself as the leading contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The Barcelona teenager needed just two minutes to make his mark. Capitalising on Marc Guehi’s costly error, Yamal robbed the defender, drove forward and finished with composure beyond his years to give the world champions an early lead.

It was a moment of quality that set the tone for an evening in which he consistently terrorised England’s back line.

France Football’s three official Ballon d’Or criteria place the greatest weight on individual performances of a decisive and impressive nature. Yamal delivered exactly that.

Even after England fought back to lead 2-1 through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane, the 18-year-old remained Spain’s most dangerous outlet, stretching the defence and creating openings with his trademark close control and vision.

The second criteria, collective success, also works in his favour. Spain’s win extended their remarkable 39-game unbeaten run inside 90 minutes and reinforced their status as the dominant force in international football.

Yamal has been central to that success since helping them win the European Championship and now the World Cup.

While Harry Kane remains a strong candidate after another prolific year, his missed penalty and Spain’s eventual comeback allowed Yamal to steal the spotlight on a major stage.

At an age when most players are still finding their feet, the Spanish prodigy continues to produce moments that define matches against the very best.