Ballon d'Or 2026: Lamine Yamal sensed Kane's victory a week in advance

Harry Kane claimed the 2026 Ballon d’Or at the ceremony held Monday evening in London, prevailing over Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal in a vote that went down poorly in both Madrid and Barcelona.

Yet according to Catalan newspaper Sport, Barcelona was hardly surprised by the verdict. Lamine Yamal himself reportedly anticipated the English striker’s victory around a week in advance. The choice of London as host city had been interpreted internally as a favorable signal for Kane — a hasty reading, since the location had been officially confirmed as early as late May, before the Champions League final and the World Cup.

Barcelona’s concerns reportedly intensified upon arrival in the British capital, when Bayern Munich’s delegation proved particularly substantial. For Barcelona, it was a sign that the Bavarian club already knew its striker would prevail, with celebrations having been prepared both in London and in Germany.

Lamine Yamal had moreover foregone organizing a party at a major London restaurant, not imagining he would win the trophy. After the ceremony, the 2026 world champion returned to his hotel, dining in his room with his partner, Inés García.

At 19 years old, the Spanish international nonetheless faces the future with serenity. “He knows he will eventually win the trophy one day,” Sport reports. A relative consolation for someone who appears on the podium for the second consecutive time without managing to claim the supreme award.