"If you love football, you'll watch Lamine, not Kane": Barcelona's clan baffled by Yamal's third-place Ballon d'Or finish

Yamal finished third at age 19 behind Kane and Mbappé; Barcelona's hierarchy and family expressed disappointment with the voting.

Lamine Yamal finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or voting on Monday evening in London, behind winner Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé. The Barcelona winger, 19, visibly struggled to hide his disappointment at the London Palladium ceremony.

Yamal's uncle Abdul spoke directly to Spanish radio immediately after the result, defending his nephew's credentials. "My nephew was fantastic, he was the best player in the world," Abdul said. "Everyone knows it. If you love football, you'll watch Lamine, not Harry Kane." He added that while Yamal is young and will win more Ballons d'Or in future, Kane "has only three days of competition left and they give him the Ballon d'Or." Abdul highlighted Yamal's World Cup win, La Liga title, and Supercopa triumph, along with his goal-scoring and creative output.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta also expressed disagreement with the voters' decision. "In my opinion, he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, but the voters decided otherwise," Laporta said. "I am convinced that he will eventually win the Ballon d'Or. I don't know when, but he deserves it." Catalan media outlet Mundo Deportivo echoed the sentiment, arguing that while Kane is an excellent striker, Yamal possesses the magic and unpredictability that defines truly elite talent.