Mourinho surprised by Jude Bellingham’s position in Ballon d’Or final ranking

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has admitted he was “a bit surprised” by Jude Bellingham’s 11th-place finish in the 2026 Ballon d’Or final ranking.

Mourinho made the remarks during his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s LaLiga encounter with Racing Santander on Sunday evening.

“Regarding the Ballon d’Or voting, the thing that left me a bit surprised is the position of Jude Bellingham, who was eleventh. No further comments,” Mourinho said.

Bellingham finished outside the top 10 despite his impressive performances for England at the 2026 World Cup.

His England teammate Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of France international Kylian Mbappé.

Bellingham made a significant contribution to England’s World Cup campaign, scoring seven goals and providing one assist in eight appearances for the Three Lions.

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Mourinho’s comments highlight his surprise at Bellingham’s final position, particularly given the midfielder’s performances on the international stage.