Harry Kane, 33, made history at the London Palladium on Monday night by becoming the first Englishman to claim the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001. However, the decision has sparked a sharp reaction from the family of Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal. Abdul Abdellaoui, the teenager’s uncle, told El Larguero on Cadena SER that he was deeply disappointed with the result, insisting that the 19-year-old Yamal is currently the best player in the world. Speaking to El Larguero on Cadena SER after the announcement, Abdul Abdellaoui did not hide his disappointment.
In the final voting, Kane secured the top honor, followed by Kylian Mbappé in second place and Yamal in third. Abdellaoui acknowledged Kane’s impressive goal-scoring record but argued that his nephew’s broader impact on the pitch holds more weight. He further suggested that the voters may have been influenced by age, prioritizing the experience of the 33-year-old over the breakthrough performance of the teenager.
Despite missing out on the primary award, Yamal secured the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year, honoring his contributions to Barcelona’s La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles, as well as Spain’s World Cup triumph. Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated that while the club believes Yamal deserved the Ballon d’Or, they accept the outcome and view it as a source of future motivation. Neither Kane, Bayern Munich, nor Yamal himself have issued public responses regarding the comments made by the family.
The evaluation window for the award spanned from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026. During this period, Harry Kane dominated in terms of volume, recording 73 goals across 65 matches for club and country. His tally included 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich—36 of which earned him the European Golden Boot—and 14 goals in 13 Champions League fixtures. He also netted six goals during the World Cup, helping England secure a third-place finish, and claimed both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles. Covering the 2025-26 season and the World Cup, the window ran from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026.
Lamine Yamal’s case was built on creative playmaking and consistency. Over 45 appearances for Barcelona, he contributed 24 goals and 18 assists, topping the La Liga assist charts with 11 assists in 28 league matches. Named La Liga’s best player, he also appeared in eight matches for Spain during their successful World Cup campaign, scoring once. With 16 goals and 11 assists in 28 La Liga games, making him the league’s leading assist provider, he recorded 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 appearances for Barcelona.
