Ballon d’Or 2026: Ousmane Dembélé at the heart of a tribute to Harry Kane

Having been voted Ballon d’Or in 2025, Ousmane Dembélé was present in London on Monday evening for the Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony. The PSG player finished in seventh place and, sitting next to Harry Kane, briefly congratulated him as soon as the winner was announced.

Ranking and proximity with the teammate

This seventh place puts him just behind his teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who finished sixth. The two PSG forwards thus shared the top spots of the event’s ranking. Their closeness in the table highlights the good form of the Parisian attacking duo.

Reactions and notable gestures

Harry Kane stood up shortly afterwards to greet the players gathered around him, before going up on stage and receiving the Ballon d’Or 2026 trophy. He took the time to thank the audience, then raised the trophy with a broad smile. His gesture marked the close of the evening.

Kylian Mbappé, another contender, appeared slightly stunned when he saw the result. He had sent a small jab during his campaign for the victory, which added a touch of tension to the ceremony. His expression was commented on by several observers as a sign of disappointment.

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Ousmane Dembélé then stood up and gave a warm embrace to Bayern Munich centre‑forward Harry Kane. The image quickly circulated among the media, highlighting the mutual respect between the two players. Some observers noted that this gesture symbolised a passing of the torch.

Commentator Benoît Trémoulinas, who recently announced his return with Girondins de Bordeaux, explained on Tuesday why he highlighted this image. “What I appreciated was the embrace between Ousmane Dembélé and Harry Kane. This kind of passing where you can feel Ousmane Dembélé happy that it was Harry Kane who did it,” he said. He added that he perceived a great deal of respect in this gesture.

Dembélé applauds the Ballon d’Or handover in London

The gap between Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé was not large; fewer than 41 points separated them, according to the first published results. While awaiting the full official results on Saturday with the release of France Football in the newsstands, fans are scrutinising the rankings. The competition remains tight until the final minute.