Ballon d'Or website accidentally names three different winners before ceremony
The official Ballon d'Or website mistakenly published three separate articles declaring Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal as the 2026 winner hours before the official announcement, causing confusion and viral speculation on social media. The premature posts, which appeared as player profiles highlighting each candidate's season achievements, were screenshotted and shared widely just minutes before the bottom five rankings were released. Organizers reportedly launched an investigation into the technical glitch or human error that caused the scheduled stories to go live prematurely. Each player had a strong case: Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich, Yamal recorded 25 goals and 20 assists while winning the World Cup with Spain, and Mbappe topped La Liga and Champions League scoring charts while winning the World Cup Golden Boot.