Lamine Yamal has been named the best player of the 2025/26 Spanish top-flight season by the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE), adding another individual honour to a campaign in which he played a leading role for Barcelona.
The Barcelona forward collected the award at the fifth AFE Awards ceremony in Madrid on Tuesday, with the winners chosen through votes cast by fellow players.
Yamal’s recognition came after another influential season for the Spanish champions, during which the 19-year-old established himself as one of the most decisive attacking players in LaLiga.
“There is nothing better than your fellow players voting for you,” Yamal said after receiving the award, according to Barcelona.
Yamal adds another honour to an impressive 2025/26 season
The AFE award is the latest recognition for Yamal after his performances during the 2025/26 campaign, in which Barcelona successfully defended their league title.
He had already been named LaLiga Player of the Season following a campaign in which his goals, creativity and ability to influence important matches made him one of Hansi Flick’s most important attacking players.
Barcelona’s official figures credited Yamal with 16 league goals and 11 assists during the title-winning season, while LaLiga also recognised his contribution as one of the decisive factors behind the club’s domestic success.
The winger’s ability to create opportunities and produce decisive moments has become a central feature of Barcelona’s attack, particularly in matches where opponents have attempted to restrict the space available to him on the right flank.
Yamal said he still believes there is room for improvement despite the growing number of individual awards attached to his name.
He also made clear that Barcelona’s ambitions extend beyond domestic success, identifying the Champions League as the team’s major target for the current campaign.
“Win the Champions League,” Yamal said when asked about his principal objective.
Peer recognition adds weight to latest award
The AFE honour carries particular significance because the winners are selected by fellow professionals across Spanish football rather than by a single judging panel.
Barcelona midfielder Patri Guijarro was also recognised at the ceremony after being named the best player of the 2025/26 Liga F season, underlining the club’s strong presence at the awards.
For Yamal, the latest prize adds to a remarkable run of recognition at an early stage of his career. His rapid development from Barcelona academy prospect into one of the club’s leading attacking figures has already brought major domestic, European and international honours.
The forward has started the new season strongly and recently reached 50 goals for Barcelona’s first team, another milestone in a career that continues to move at unusual speed.
Barcelona will now look to translate Yamal’s individual form into another successful season as Flick’s side pursue major honours at home and in Europe. For Yamal, however, the message after receiving recognition from his fellow players was that there is still more to achieve.
More details about the award and the other winners are available through the official Barcelona announcement.