Lamine Yamal shares kind words about Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or
Lamine Yamal just missed out on the Ballon d’Or, which went to Harry Kane at the ceremony in London on October 26. Even though he didn’t win, Yamal showed great sportsmanship with a really classy message afterward.
He was one of the favorites for the award after scoring 24 goals for Barcelona in the 2025/26 season and playing a big part in Spain’s World Cup win. At just 19, he would have been a very deserving winner but instead took home his third Kopa Trophy, given to the best young player.
When Yamal went on stage to accept the Kopa Trophy — which he also won in 2024 and 2025 — he surprised everyone by saying his teammate Pau Cubarsi deserved it more. He said (translated by DAZN):
“Good evening, everyone. It’s an honor to be here and get this amazing prize. I wish Pau Cubarsi, my teammate, was here because I think he should have won. He’s been playing incredibly well.
This is my third year receiving this prize, and I’m very thankful. I want to thank my club, my national team, and everyone supporting me. I will keep working hard to win more team and individual awards.”
His humble words quickly went viral, and after the Ballon d’Or results, Yamal posted more mature thoughts on Instagram:
“IT WILL COME. Good things take time. Without rushing, with excitement and peace, my time will come someday.
Congrats to the winners. Now, I’m focused on what matters most: helping FC Barcelona win again.”
At 19, Yamal still has many chances to win football’s biggest prize, and his positive attitude shows he won’t give up.
While Yamal handled his third-place finish with grace, his uncle was a bit disappointed Kane won instead.
“It’s really sad. I feel bad,” he said. “My nephew was amazing, the best player in the world. If you love football, you watch Lamine, not Harry Kane. Kane is a great scorer, but Lamine is the best on the pitch. Maybe he was unlucky this time, but there’s always next year.”
His uncle also thought Yamal’s young age might have worked against him:
“People say he’s only 19, so he has time. Harry Kane, with just a few days of football left in the year, got the award. Kane won the World Cup, La Liga, and the Super Cup. He played well, scored amazing goals, gave assists — he had an incredible season.
Lamine will win more awards, and the sadness will fade soon. He’ll be alright in a few days.”
Yamal is back playing for Barcelona this Saturday, October 31, when they host Deportivo Alaves at Camp Nou.