Lamine Yamal has been backed to top a LaLiga podium for the Ballon d’Or – but his rivals will stop him from getting close to Lionel Messi.The 19-year-old further underlined his credentials to win football’s top individual honour with a goal against Paris Saint-Germain.Yamal has moved into double figures for goals already with his strike against the reigning Champions League holdersGettyYamal took his incredible tally for the season with double figures in both goals and assists in just 12 appearances in all competitions.It follows the teenager’s record-breaking performances for club and country last campaign that propelled him to new heights.He registered 27 goal involvements in 28 appearances (16 goals, 11 assists) to help Barcelona claim their second successive La Liga title.Despite fitness issues, Yamal, who also lifted the Supercopa de Espana, then played his part in Spain winning the 2026 World Cup.The winger became only the third-youngest player to start a World Cup final at just six days past his 19th birthday in July.Yamal played the full 120 minutes of the 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina, and made the most dribbles both at the tournament (58) and across Europe’s top-five leagues (265) last season.The case for Yamal to win Ballon d’OrThe 37-cap Spain international is one of the front-runners for this year’s Golden Ball award, which will be awarded in London next week.Yamal, runner-up last year behind Ousmane Dembele, has been the recipient of the Kopa Trophy – given to the best player under 21 – for the past two seasons.Rory Jennings has now backed him to go one step further this time, to become the youngest player ever to lift the Ballon d’Or, taking the record from Ronaldo Nazario, having won it in 1997, aged 21.Yamal’s World Cup triumph may give him the edge in the Ballon d’Or raceGettyChampions League stats before the age of 20:Lamine Yamal: 13 goals and 14 assists (27 direct contributions)Lionel Messi: 2 goals and 1 assist (3 direct contributions)Cristiano Ronaldo: 0 goals and 1 assist (1 direct contribution)“I don’t see how you cannot give it to Yamal, to be honest,” Jennings exclusively told talkSPORT.com. “[Kylian] Mbappe’s form during the World Cup blew my mind, but Yamal has won the World Cup, and he has won LaLiga. “It’s very difficult to look beyond him.”On his Ballon d’Or podium, Jennings added: “I think it goes Yamal, Rodri and Mbappe. “I’m still very bitter about the World Cup and I can’t give it to [Harry] Kane. I’m just so upset about how we limped out of the World Cup.“That’s why I don’t think [Thomas] Tuchel should be England manager anymore, and that’s why I’m not giving Kane a Ballon d’Or.”Dembele is the current holder of football’s most prestigious solo prizeGettyWill Yamal get close to Messi’s record?Yamal hasn’t been shy about vocalising his ambition to win multiple Ballon d’Or awards throughout his career.Messi has won a record-breaking eight Golden Balls, ironically lifting his last one after his World Cup triumph with Argentina in 2022.The Inter Miami star claimed his first Ballon d’Or when he was 22 and 160 days old in 2009, several years older than Yamal is now.However, Jennings doesn’t believe the latter will ever come close to Messi’s eight honours, adding: “I don’t think anyone gets close. “I think we’re very privileged to have witnessed the true brilliance of Lionel Messi. In terms of winning the Ballon d’Or in the way that it has been won by two players, I think it’s slightly ludicrous that it’s been won by two when Lionel Messi is so clear of Cristiano Ronaldo. So much better than him in every metric of football.“He’s so much better than him. But I don’t think anyone will get close to that. I really don’t. Ronaldo and Messi’s careers have been intertwined amid their domination of the sport across the last two decadesGetty Images - Getty“If you look now, I feel like,, it’s all spread fairly evenly. There’s a Rizla paper between Yamal and Kylian Mbappe. There is a Rizla paper between Jude Bellingham coming through. “And depending on who else could be a genuine contender for it – Vinicius Junior. I just don’t think that there is really a clear front-runner. “Lionel Messi was clearly the best footballer in the world for 20 years.“Cristiano Ronaldo, because of his ruthless pursuit of numbers, managed to get on the podium a couple of times. Probably incorrectly. “Those two were so clear of everyone else, every other contender. Whereas I think it’s a lot tighter now. I think it’s a lot tighter.“I think it’s probably half a dozen players that are going to share it rather than two players that are going to share it.”