Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or win draws criticism of Mbappe and Yamal reactions

standard.co.uk —

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, beating Kylian Mbappe in a tight vote, with his 73 goals for club and country during the 2025/26 season as the deciding factor. The Bayern Munich striker also secured the European Golden Shoe and Striker of the Year awards. Social media users analyzed the reactions of rivals Mbappe and Lamine Yamal during the ceremony. Mbappe remained seated as Kane embraced him, while Yamal looked visibly disappointed and was later shown looking away during Kane's acceptance speech. Both players faced criticism online for their demeanor. Yamal, who lost out on the main award, was named Men's Young Talent of the Year for the third consecutive year. Fans also noted last year's winner Ousmane Dembele appeared to watch Mbappe's reaction, and memes of the moments quickly circulated online.


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