Lamine Yamal Congratulates Ballon d'Or Winners, Sidesteps Naming Harry Kane Amid Controversy

Lamine Yamal has issued a social media message offering congratulations to the winners of the recent Ballon d'Or ceremony. The 19-year-old Barcelona star, who was a finalist for the prestigious award, stopped short of specifically naming England captain Harry Kane, who secured the honor.

Kane's victory marked the first time an Englishman has won the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern Munich forward triumphed over close rivals Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. Footage from the event showed both Mbappé and Yamal not standing to congratulate Kane immediately after his win, leading to speculation and conspiracy theories among some supporters.

Yamal's message, posted on Tuesday night, conveyed a sense of future ambition. "IT WILL COME, good things take time, I trust the path I'm building," he wrote. "Without a hurry, with excitement and with tranquility that someday my time will come. Congratulations to the winners, my focus is again on what's important, to make FC Barcelona win again."

Despite not securing the top individual prize, Yamal did receive the Young Talent of the Year award for a third consecutive year. When asked by presenter Thierry Henry if this was the award he truly desired, Yamal humbly deflected, suggesting the honor belonged to his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí.

Yamal's uncle, Abdul, had previously voiced strong support for his nephew, asserting that Yamal was the best player in the world and should have won the Ballon d'Or. He criticized Kane's win, suggesting it was premature given Kane's age and career stage compared to Yamal's potential.

Further controversy arose from some figures within football, such as former Real Madrid player Guti, who suggested that the ceremony's relocation to London for its 70th anniversary, to honor Sir Stanley Matthews, may have influenced Kane's victory. Guti implied a potential orchestration of the event, citing Kane's perceived surprise at winning as evidence.

France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia confirmed that the voting was exceptionally close between Kane and Mbappé, with a very narrow points difference separating the two. Garcia stated that Mbappé led the race for a significant period, but Kane ultimately prevailed by a minimal margin.

Kane's award recognized his exceptional performance during the 2025-26 season, where he scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and captained England to a third-place finish at the World Cup. He also played a key role in Bayern Munich's domestic treble victory. The ceremony in London was held to commemorate the first Ballon d'Or winner, Sir Stanley Matthews.