Mourinho stunned by Bellingham's 11th-place finish at 2026 Ballon d'Or

José Mourinho expressed his astonishment at Jude Bellingham’s ranking at the 2026 Ballon d’Or, won by Harry Kane ahead of Kylian Mbappé with just a 28-point gap. Questioned at a press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s match against Santander, the Portuguese manager did not mince his words.

The Madrid manager first praised Kane’s achievement, whom he had the opportunity to manage. “I had the privilege of working with Harry. He is a great man on every level,” he declared, while letting some disappointment show through, as his personal favorite did not secure the award.

Mourinho also paid tribute to Mbappé, who finished second in the rankings. “Kylian is unique,” he affirmed, before highlighting the French striker’s performances at the 2026 World Cup. “Every year there is a Ballon d’Or, but the greatest player in World Cup history, there is only one. He shows great maturity. He has class. The way he approached the Ballon d’Or, that is class.”

It was Bellingham’s position, however, that most caught the Portuguese manager’s attention. With 107 points on the board, the English midfielder finished 11th and was kept out of the top 10 by 60 voters. “What leaves me speechless in the voting is seeing Bellingham in 11th place. No comment,” Mourinho concluded, in a statement that says everything about his bewilderment.