Mbappé and Lamine at the 2010 tournament, recalling the Cristiano-Messi duo: "It means everything to LaLiga to have these two world-class players."

From 2008 to 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi practically monopolized the Ballon d'Or awards. They were world-class figures, legends of the football world, who brought glory to Real Madrid and Barcelona. Barely five years have passed since the Argentine's last individual award, when two new players promise to steal the spotlight. Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal are at the center of a championship that kicks off today with a spectacular duel between the new La Liga top ten.

"In more than two decades, no player has won the Ballon d'Or without having played in La Liga at some point in their career, and our competition continues, year after year, producing and attracting elite players," Javier Tebas , president of the association, told EL MUNDO. Mbappé has yet to win the top award, coinciding with the peak of the Portuguese and Argentine strikers' careers. This year, Lamine is one of the favorites to win the trophy awarded by France Football. Spain is once again the galaxy in which the brightest stars orbit.

"From homegrown talents like Lamine Yamal to established global stars like Kylian Mbappé , Jude Bellingham and Julián Álvarez , the best continue to choose La Liga as their home," says Tebas . But it's the Spaniard and the Frenchman who lead the talent rankings. Yamal finished last season with 18 goals and 25 assists, while Mbappé contributed 44 goals, which earned him the Pichichi and Golden Boot awards for the 2024/25 season. The Real Madrid player also added five assists.

While Kylian was producing those numbers in his debut as a Real Madrid player in a campaign that has been a quiet one for Real Madrid, Lamine was consolidating the talent he showed last year and, in addition to nearly reaching a Champions League final, won every national title. Two of them, the Super Cup and the Copa del Rey, were won in the final against the French striker's team, as well as in both league matches. "Spanish football is where stars come to win, and the data proves it: five different La Liga clubs have won 21 of the last 39 European titles, more than all the other major leagues combined," says the La Liga president.

The individual duel, however, is evenly matched between the two. In four matches last season, Lamine scored three goals and provided two assists, while the Frenchman has scored five goals against Barcelona, one of his favorite targets while also playing for PSG, the team where he played alongside Messi after his departure from the Blaugrana.

Madness for 10

The shirts of both players are set to change in the new season. Both Mbappé and Lamine have opted for the iconic number 10, the one worn by Pelé, Maradona, Messi, Puskas, Platini, Zico, Ronaldinho , and so on. The Frenchman has taken Modric 's number; the Spaniard has chosen the one vacated by Ansu Fati , a talent who never fully developed.

In just 24 hours, Barça sold 70,000 shirts with their rising star's new number, generating revenues of nearly €10 million, according to internal estimates. Mbappé 's arrival at Real Madrid doubled the sales generated when Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club, and according to a study by Valora Analitik, the Frenchman's change of shirt could end up earning the club a total of €375 million annually.

Lamine, the most valuable

These figures make these players' values the highest in the world. Thanks to his last season, the Barcelona winger has managed to top the list of the most valuable players, according to the specialized website Transfermarkt. This site places Lamine at the top with a value of €200 million (the first player in history to achieve this value as a minor) and Kylian Mbappé in second place, with a value of €180 million. The Frenchman shares that position with his teammate Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland .

"It means everything to La Liga and Spanish football to have these two brands, which are already global," explains Mario G. Gurrionero , strategic director of CEG, regarding the importance of the Spanish league's image. The communications specialist for elite athletes believes that Mbappé and Lamine , like Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi , form a "duo" in which "both players need each other to continue growing and striving for excellence." Gurrionero maintains that French and Spanish players are "the best brands" for a professional football league.

The number 10 is emblematic, which is why Atlético Madrid has given it to Álex Baena , its big signing. Nico Williams , another star of the league, will wear it for Athletic Club. The duel of the ten players is on the cards.