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Mikel Obi on punditry duties with DAZN. [Photo Credit\/ X].<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has revealed his choice for the player he believes will win the Golden Ball at the 2026 FIFA World Cup,\u00a0Soccernet.ng<\/u><\/a>\u00a0reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n The 23rd edition of the Mundial kicked off on Thursday night, with co-hosts Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0 in a heated encounter that saw three red cards\u00a0\u2014\u00a0two to the African side and one to the North American host.<\/p>\n The tournament will be\u00a0also be staged across the United States\u00a0and Canada, and\u00a0will run for several weeks before concluding on July 19, when the final will determine who succeeds Argentina as world champions following their penalty shootout victory over France in 2022.<\/p>\n Several players are in contention for the prestigious Golden Ball award, given to the best player of the tournament. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi is the current holder after winning it for a second time in 2022, when Argentina defeated France in the final.<\/p>\n The likes of\u00a0Michael Olise, Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, Luis D\u00edaz, Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, Bruno Fernandes, and Vitinha have all been tipped by different observers as potential winners\u00a0ahead of the tournament, with opinions split on who will succeed Messi as winner.<\/p>\n However, with Nigeria not participating in the tournament, former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has backed Spain\u2019s Lamine Yamal as his preferred candidate for the award.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u00a0have to go with Lamine Yamal\u201d,\u00a0Mikel Obi revealed.<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just amazing. The way he plays, the confidence he plays with, everything he does is just superb. I think me and every football fan are looking forward to watching him again, and I think he will be great again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Lamine Yamal has already enjoyed a remarkable rise in his young career since making his senior debut for Barcelona in 2023. At just 18 years of age, he is already regarded as one of the best footballers in the world and even finished second in the 2025 Ballon d\u2019Or rankings.<\/p>\n At Euro 2024, he impressed on the right wing with his dribbling\u00a0and creativity and played\u00a0a key role as Spain went on to win the tournament, where he was awarded\u00a0the Best Young Player award.<\/p>\n Heading into the World Cup, Spain\u2019s chances are heavily tied to his performances. Yamal has proven he can deliver on the big stage, but consistency with his teammates will be crucial.<\/p>\n However, there are still concerns over his fitness going into the tournament. The 18-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in April. Although he has returned to training, it remains unclear whether he will be fully match-ready, as he has not played competitive football in recent weeks.<\/p>\n A fully fit Yamal would be a huge boost for Spain, and coach Luis de la Fuente will be hoping to have his young star available and firing as they target their first World Cup title since 2010 and only their second overall.<\/p>\n Fans can follow the ultimate guide for the\u00a02026 World Cup\u00a0tournament\u00a0here\u00a0<\/u><\/a>and will be able to catch a first glimpse of Yamal at the tournament on June 15 when Spain face Cape Verde, in what could mark the start of the youngster\u2019s journey towards a potential Golden Ball win.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/XAd3AQ4zgy6gze7SJDjlai2z61s=\/1920x1080\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F06%2FNS-Photo-Badge-Facebook-Soccernet.jpg\"){kind=icon}
Soccer Mikel Obi backs Lamine Yamal for 2026 World Cup Golden Ball award<\/h2>\n
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Soccer All eyes on Yamal ahead of World Cup debut<\/h2>\n
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