Yamal clan attacks Harry Kane following the Ballon d'Or

Lamine Yamal, prodigy of FC Barcelona, only occupied the third step of the Ballon d’Or 2026 podium, behind Kylian Mbappé and the winner Harry Kane. His uncle, Abdul, expressed a strong disappointment during an interview in London, where the ceremony was held at the Palladium Theatre. He sharply criticized the choice of Kane, stating that supporters come to see his nephew.

Statement from Abdul Yamal

Asked by Cadena SER, Abdul said: “I am very sad, I feel bad. My nephew is very good, he is the best player in the world, everyone knows it.” He continued: “If you love football, you will see Lamine Yamal, not Harry Kane. Harry Kane is a scorer, Lamine Yamal is the best.” These remarks reflect the frustration of the Yamal clan in the face of the verdict.

Abdul, a restaurateur in Mataró, also highlighted the age gap: “People say he is young, that he will win more. But Harry Kane, he only has three days of career left, so we give him the Ballon d’Or.” He reminded that his nephew is only nineteen years old.

The Ballon d’Or 2026 ranking

The top‑10 of the Ballon d’Or 2026 includes: 1️⃣ Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England), 2️⃣ Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France), 3️⃣ Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona, Spain), 4️⃣ Rodri (FC Barcelona, Spain), 5️⃣ Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina), 6️⃣ Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint‑Germain, Georgia), 7️⃣ Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint‑Germain, France), 8️⃣ Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), 9️⃣ Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France), 🔟 Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint‑Germain, Spain).

Laporta claims Yamal won the Ballon d’Or, despite Kane

Yamal, who won Ligue 1 with FC Barcelona earlier in the year and the World Cup with Spain in the summer, also claimed the Young Talent of the Year trophy for the third consecutive year.

The media quickly relayed Abdul’s remarks, fueling the debate about the place of individual statistics versus collective titles in the Ballon d’Or selection. Some commentators highlighted the contrast between Kane’s record and Yamal’s youth.

Abdul predicted a glorious future for his nephew: “He will win more than one Ballon d’Or. He will win five!” He added that the current sadness will “pass in three days”, hinting at another attempt next year.

Controversy: the 2026 Ballon d’Or awarded to Harry Kane shakes Guti

This opposition between the Yamal clan and the English champion illustrates the polarization surrounding the most prestigious football trophy, and shows how expectations can diverge depending on the stakeholders.