Lamine Yamal’s uncle passionately critiques Harry Kane after he wins the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Lamine Yamal’s uncle has openly shared his disappointment after Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or, in a passionate interview. Yamal came third behind Kane and Kylian Mbappé but did win the Kopa Trophy for the best young player for the third year in a row.
Yamal stayed humble when receiving his award and even said his Spain and Barcelona teammate, Pau Cubarsí, deserved it more than him. “I would have liked to see my teammate Pau Cubarsí win because he has been playing so well for a long time,” he said. “This is my third time here for this prize, and I want to thank my club and national team. But this one should have gone to Cubarsí.”
While Yamal accepted his third place, his uncle Abdul Abdellaoui wasn’t as happy and spoke passionately to El Larguero. “It’s really sad. I feel bad,” he said. “My nephew was incredible—he was the best player, everyone knows that. If you love football, you watch Lamine, not Harry Kane. Kane is a great scorer, but Lamine is the best on the field. If he’s unlucky this time, there’s always next year.”
Abdellaoui also thought Yamal’s age might have worked against him. “People say he’s young, only 19, so he has time, which is why he didn’t win. Harry Kane had only a few games left but they gave it to him,” he said. “Kane won the World Cup, La Liga, and the Super Cup. He had a great season, scoring amazing goals and giving assists. Lamine will win many more times, and the sadness will pass soon. In a few days, he’ll be fine.”
Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, also believes Yamal deserved the award and encouraged his teammates to support him. “In my opinion, he did enough to win, but the voters made their choice, and we have to accept it fairly,” Laporta said. “I hope this motivates him personally, and I’m sure it will. All his teammates will help him get past this disappointment quickly. We must show him love and support because he truly deserves it.”
Now, Yamal is focusing on Barcelona’s upcoming La Liga game against Alavés on October 31.