It’s really sad – Yamal’s uncle slams Kane’s 2026 Ballon d’Or win

Abdul Abdellaoui, the uncle of Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal, has criticised the decision to award Harry Kane the 2026 Ballon d’Or ahead of his nephew.

Kane won the prestigious individual award at Monday night’s ceremony in London, finishing ahead of Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé in the final rankings.

Speaking during an interview with El Larguero, Abdellaoui expressed disappointment over the outcome, arguing that Yamal deserved to be recognised as the world’s best player because of his performances.

“Well, the truth is it is really sad,” Abdellaoui said, reacting to Kane’s victory over the Barcelona winger.

He further defended his nephew’s achievements, insisting that Yamal’s performances made him more deserving of the award than the England captain.

“My nephew was the best player in the world. If you like football, you go to see Lamine Yamal, not Harry Kane,” he said.

Despite his uncle’s disappointment, Yamal finished third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, behind Kane and Mbappé.

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The Barcelona star also received recognition for his performances by winning the Kopa Trophy, which honours the best young player in the world.