Days after missing out on the 2026 Ballon d’Or in London, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal have been nominated for La Liga’s Player of the Month award for October alongside several Spanish top-flight standouts.
Fresh from finishing behind Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane at the London Palladium Theatre on October 26, 2026, football’s brightest young and established stars find themselves in direct competition once again. Lamine Yamal finished third in the global voting behind runner-up Mbappé, capping an intense week of individual accolades as Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane claimed the award. Kane himself was quick to address social media speculation regarding a post-gala quote about working in silence, denying whether it was directed at his nearest competitors Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
October Goal Tallies and La Liga Player of the Month Nominations
Mbappé enters the domestic monthly contest following a blistering scoring run for Jose Mourinho’s team. The French international scored four goals across three league appearances in October, highlighted by decisive braces against Sevilla and a match-winning performance in El Clásico against Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou. Those efforts lifted his total to 11 league goals, placing him second behind Raphinha’s 13.
Kylian Mbappé reached a career-high Ballon d’Or ranking in 2026. 🔝🏆 pic.twitter.com/jdCGacvPtp
Arda Guler’s creativity, Yan Diomande’s movement and Eduardo Camavinga’s ability to carry the ball forward have created opportunities for the French striker. The team is finding ways to put Mbappe in goalscoring positions.
Lamine Yamal secured his spot on the shortlist after managing a trio of direct goal contributions during the month. Across the wider campaign, Yamal holds eight goals and six assists in the league, giving him 14 total goal contributions compared to Mbappé’s 13. He was also named LaLiga’s Player of the Season for 2025-2026, ahead of Mbappé. Despite these achievements, the World Cup may have influenced the voting.
🚨 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧: Harry Kane, season 2025/26 until the Ballon d'Or ceremony tonight! 🌟🏴🌟 105 G/A⚽️ 90 goals🅰️ 15 assists🎖️ Bundesliga Golden Boot🎖️ European Golden Boot🏆 3 trophies🎁 24 penalties pic.twitter.com/ZbeQrG9Pov
Ballon d’Or Rejection and Hugo Lloris’s Backing for Mbappé
The runner-up finish for Mbappé extended a frustrating wait for the premier individual honor, though former France captain Hugo Lloris remains certain of his former international teammate’s trajectory.
The stars were not yet aligned for him, but this will make him even stronger. He has everything it takes to win it one day.
ESPN analysts noted that a combination of outstanding individual numbers and a lack of major trophies ultimately weakened Mbappé’s and Yamal’s cases against Kane’s 73-goal season for club and country. For Lamine Yamal, finishing on the podium marked a remarkable achievement for a teenager, following his Kopa Trophy win and his role in Barcelona securing consecutive league titles.
Mbappé Helps Real Madrid Close Gap on Barcelona
Beyond the monthly individual awards, the form of both forwards has driven an intense domestic title race. Mbappé’s October surge helped Real Madrid rack up three straight league wins, reducing Barcelona’s advantage at the summit to just three points. Alongside Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, La Liga’s Player of the Month shortlist features Real Sociedad’s Gonçalo Guedes, Alejandro Grimaldo, and Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro.
🚨 The favourites to win the 2027 Ballon d’Or, according to Polymarket 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/Cx26bO20mf
More on La Liga
He defends. He attacks. He assists. He scores.🏌️♂️ @grimaldo35 is nominated for the Player of the Month of October in LaLiga.Vote here! ➡️ https://t.co/biTz2J2rnD#FC27 | #POTM | @easportsfces pic.twitter.com/MylFRhZF9d
🚨 OFFICIAL: Lamine Yamal is nominated for the La Liga Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/gnXk783gRT