La Liga named Lamine Yamal its Player of the Year, an honor previously won by both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Just as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated La Liga for years, this new era appears destined to belong to Lamine Yamal. The young Barcelona winger was named the league’s best player of the season after a standout campaign. “A wonderkid! Barcelona star, Lamine Yamal wins La Liga Player of the Season,” the Spanish league announced Friday on its official social media accounts alongside a photo of the 18-year-old holding the trophy. The same post highlighted four other players as Yamal’s main challengers. Kylian Mbappe finished second after an impressive season with Real Madrid despite the club’s lack of silverware and his injury struggles. Also featured among the contenders were Villarreal’s Nicolas Pepe, Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi, and Real Betis’ Pablo Fornals. Lamine Yamal played a decisive role in Barcelona’s title-winning campaign, recording 16 goals and 12 assists in 28 matches — an average of one goal contribution per game. Despite dealing with a groin issue early in the season and a hamstring injury that sidelined him during the final stretch of the campaign, the winger established himself as the team’s primary attacking threat. He even carried much of the offensive burden during the absences of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, the other star attackers in the squad. A WONDERKID! 🪄@FCBarcelona star, Lamine Yamal wins #LALIGAEASPORTS 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍!#LALIGAPOTS | #PREMIOSANUALESLALIGA— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) June 5, 2026 Yamal follows in Messi’s footsteps In previous years, Lamine Yamal had already shown flashes of brilliance with Barcelona, earning the La Liga U-23 Player of the Season award in both 2024 and 2025. This year, however, he took another step forward and claimed the league’s top individual honor, which had been awarded to Raphinha the previous season. In doing so, Yamal surpassed Lionel Messi as the youngest player ever to win the award. The Argentine forward first claimed the honor at age 21 after starring during the 2008-09 season. However, when comparing the two, Lamine still has a long way to go. Messi holds the record for the most La Liga Player of the Year awards with nine, including a streak of five consecutive wins. After his first recognition in 2009, he also won the award in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Cristiano Ronaldo trails far behind Despite enjoying a brilliant nine-year spell with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to establish himself as La Liga’s dominant individual star and spent much of that era competing with Lionel Messi’s overwhelming influence. As a result, CR7 won the league’s Player of the Year award only once during his nine seasons in Spain, claiming the honor in 2014.
According to SPORT, RCD Mallorca’s relegation from La Liga has significantly simplified the potential departure of former FC Barcelona winger Jan Virgili, one of the most sought-after players in the...
Sevilla safe despite defeat against Real MadridTiny Elversberg seal first promotion to BundesligaRoma took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating Lazio 2-0 in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top-four spot.Gianluca Mancini smashed home two headers from corners, one in each half, at the Stadio Olimpico to move Roma up to fourth thanks also to Juventus’s shock 2-0 home defeat by Fiorentina. Continue reading...
As the La Liga season enters its final stretch with Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe could miss out on a major individual award. The past few weeks have been turbulent for Real Madrid, with disappointing results on the field and controversy surrounding the club off it. Kylian Mbappe has not been immune to that situation, and now he could lose one of La Liga’s most prestigious individual honors. With two matches remaining in the 2025-26 Spanish league season, Mbappe currently leads the La Liga scoring race. He has scored 24 goals in 36 matchdays, although he has appeared in only 29 of those games. His seven absences were caused by physical issues, first involving his knee and more recently muscular problems. In that context, the French forward’s lead in the scoring standings is being threatened by an unexpected challenger. Vedat Muriqi has enjoyed an outstanding campaign with Mallorca, scoring 22 goals this season. He also holds the advantage of having played in 35 of the club’s 36 matches, missing only one game through suspension. Muriqi’s goals have been crucial in keeping Mallorca alive in La Liga. The club currently occupies one of the relegation spots, sitting 18th in the standings. However, they are level on points with Levante and Elche, and only one point behind Alaves and Girona, meaning their survival hopes remain very much alive. Vedat Muriqi of RCD Mallorca. That motivation could prove decisive for Vedat Muriqi in the final matches of the season, knowing his goals may help the team avoid relegation. Mbappe’s situation appears less encouraging, as he continues to deal with physical issues amid tensions with Alvaro Arbeloa while seemingly focusing more on the 2026 FIFA World Cup with France than on Real Madrid’s final two league games. What’s next for Mbappe and Muriqi in La Liga? The race for La Liga’s Pichichi Trophy appears to be down to Kylian Mbappe (24 goals) and Vedat Muriqi (22), with only two goals separating them. Far behind are Osasuna’s Ante Budimir (17) and Barcelona’s Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal (16). Each forward’s remaining two matches could prove decisive. Real Madrid will first travel to face Sevilla on Sunday before closing the campaign against Athletic Club in Matchday 38. Muriqi, meanwhile, will battle for survival with Mallorca against Levante and Real Oviedo. Mbappe used to finishing as league top scorer The season after joining Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot for the first time at just 20 years old. From that point on, he claimed the award in every season he played in France. In fact, the striker finished as Ligue 1’s top scorer for six consecutive years, outperforming even teammates Neymar and Lionel Messi. After joining Real Madrid in 2024, that scoring dominance carried over to Spain, where he finished as La Liga’s top scorer in his debut season. Now, he is trying to retain that honor for a second straight year.
Georgian opens the scoring as PSG beat rivals 2-0Inter victorious over Lazio in Coppa Italia finalParis Saint-Germain secured a fifth successive Ligue 1 title by beating their nearest challengers, Lens, 2-0 in their penultimate match of the league season on Wednesday.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored after 29 minutes and the substitute Ibrahim Mbaye grabbed a stoppage-time goal to put PSG on 76 points, out of the reach of Lens, who are assured of second place on 67 points. Continue reading...
With Hansi Flick’s arrival at Barcelona, Raphinha has become one of the best players in the world. Following his strong performances, the Blaugrana are reportedly set to receive a €90M offer from the Saudi Pro League, but the Brazilian refuses to be transferred, creating serious uncertainty. Raphinha has emerged as one of the world’s top players under Hansi Flick, powering Barcelona‘s attack with both goals and assists. Despite his solid performances, the Brazilian star is not experiencing his best season due to several injuries. Nevertheless, he continues to attract the attention of many teams as the Blaugranas could receive a €90M offer from the Saudi Pro League, but his refusal to consider a transfer has raised questions. According to Sacha Tavolieri via SkySports, the Blaugranas are aware they will receive a €90 million offer from the Saudi Pro League, managed directly by agent Pini Zahavi. With this, Raphinha could be tempted by a contract running beyond 2028 and a salary of €30 million net per season. While he is a key player for head coach Hansi Flick, they are open to his departure for a major fee, as they aim to raise funds to pursue new signings. Despite the multimillion-dollar offer, Raphinha is fully determined to stay at Barcelona, rejecting any move in the summer of 2026. His wife, Taia Belloli, even reacted with laughing emojis to a Diario AS report suggesting the Brazilian was looking to leave the club after the UEFA Champions League exit. However, the Blaugrana are still considering his departure as an extreme measure if they are unable to complete the sales of other stars. In case he stays at Barcelona, head coach Hansi Flick will likely keep him as an undisputed starter, as he has managed to stand out in terms of goalscoring despite his physical issues. With this in mind, the Brazilian star could aim to first win the UEFA Champions League with the Blaugranas, serving as a key attacking figure alongside Lamine Yamal. Given his importance in the squad, the 29-year-old could remain at the club at all costs. Raphinha of FC Barcelona scores against Atletico Madrid. Barcelona reportedly chase promising backup for Raphinha Throughout the 2025–26 season, Raphinha has suffered four muscle injuries, causing him to miss 23 matches, with Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo stepping in as his replacements in the starting lineup. For this reason, Barcelona are reportedly determined to pursue the signing of a left winger, as the Brazilian star is already 29 years old and his recurring muscle issues raise serious concerns. For this reason, Jan Virgili’s comeback is gaining increasing momentum. While Marcus Rashford and Víctor Muñoz have emerged as marquee options, the high price of the Englishman and Real Madrid’s buy-back rights complicate a move for the Spaniard. With this in mind, Barcelona are reportedly targeting the return of Jan Virgili, who was transferred to RCD Mallorca. Holding 40% of his future sale, Barcelona could re-sign the 19-year-old star for around €24M, making him the most viable long-term option. If Virgili’s return is confirmed, Raphinha would become the ideal mentor for the Spaniard, guiding his development as a veteran leader. Far from complicating matters, this would actually strengthen the Brazilian’s position, as the 19-year-old star might not yet be ready to be an undisputed starter, needing his presence to continue his development. Furthermore, Jan is a Barcelona youth product, so he would have no trouble adapting to Hansi Flick’s style.
Thibaut Courtois and Real Madrid set a return date for the goalkeeper with El Clásico against Barcelona on the horizon. Real Madrid have many valuable players who have been injured, but none has been more irreplaceable than Thibaut Courtois. The goalkeeper and the club have now reportedly set a return date with the match against Barcelona approaching. Courtois may wait a little longer before coming back to make sure he is fully fit. According to Marca, the goalkeeper is expected to be ready for El Clásico, which is set for Sunday, May 10. The race for the La Liga title may already be lost for Real Madrid, as they trail Barcelona by 11 points with five matches remaining. Even if their rivals clinch the title this weekend, winning away from home could still give the fans a positive feeling in what has been a difficult season from the start. Courtois’ time injured No single player can win matches on their own these days, but there is no doubt that some positions matter more than others. Real Madrid have been without Courtois since March 17, when the goalkeeper left the Manchester City match at halftime. Courtois left the field early in Real Madrid’s victory (Carl Recine/Getty Images) The Belgian was unable to complete what was a Champions League win in England because of a muscle injury that kept him from returning to full fitness. That absence has been felt by the team as they were eliminated from title contention. In his first match out, Andriy Lunin helped Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid, but that was the exception. Losses to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals and Mallorca in La Liga, along with draws against Girona and Betis, left them without a title. Lunin’s record This stretch without Courtois saw Lunin as the starting goalkeeper. Along with three wins, two draws and two losses during that run, the goalkeeper was not very reliable. His Champions League matches against Bayern Munich pushed the total to 13 goals conceded. Real Madrid did not keep a clean sheet during that period.
