Why Lamine Yamal Finished Third in the Ballon d'Or

Lamine Yamal finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or, which was won by Harry Kane by the narrowest margin in the award's history, less than 40 points. The Barcelona player's hopes for the top prize were ultimately dashed in the London ceremony. France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia explained that Rodri, Yamal's current Barcelona teammate, split the Spanish vote. He noted that Spain's collective World Cup success made it difficult to single out one individual, with Rodri finishing fourth and Fabián Ruiz tenth. Garcia also criticized Paris Saint-Germain's campaign for Ousmane Dembélé, who finished seventh, stating the club should have fought harder for him. The gala at the London Palladium began 45 minutes late due to traffic issues.