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Ballon d’Or 2026: Lamine Yamal only third, the explanation falls

Ranked third for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, behind winner Harry Kane and his runner-up Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal can really…

By Manu Tournoux · French Football Weekly

Published: Friday, 30 October 2026 at 9:29 AM

Key Things to Know

France Football's Vincent Garcia explained Lamine Yamal finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or due to split Spanish votes.
Harry Kane won the 2026 award in London, with Kylian Mbappe finishing second ahead of 19-year-old Yamal.
Fourth-placed Rodri and several other Spanish teammates in the top 20 reportedly dispersed the jurors' votes.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Lamine Yamal finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or behind winner Harry Kane and runner-up Kylian Mbappe, despite winning La Liga and the World Cup. France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia explained that a split in votes among Spanish players, particularly fourth-placed Rodri, hindered Yamal's chances of winning the individual award.

Garcia noted that Spain's collective triumph made it difficult for jurors to select a single standout, with Fabian Ruiz, Pau Cubarsi, Ferran Torres, and Marc Cucurella also finishing in the top 20. The article compares Yamal's situation to France's 2018 World Cup winners, whose dispersed votes contributed to Luka Modric's victory.

Read the full article on French Football Weekly

Ballon d’Or 2026: Lamine Yamal only third, the explanation falls

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