Harry Kane secured the Ballon d’Or in a narrow vote ahead of Kylian Mbappé, triggering sharp criticism from the family of third-place finisher Lamine Yamal and an unproven conspiracy claim from a former Real Madrid player. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker’s victory at the London ceremony prompted Abdul Yamal, the uncle of the Barcelona star, to publicly question the decision on Spanish radio by arguing that the award overlooked his nephew’s superior individual season.

Abdul Yamal Criticizes the Ballon d’Or Outcome on Spanish Radio

Speaking on the Spanish radio program El Larguero, Abdul Yamal expressed frustration over the voting results that placed the 19-year-old Barcelona player third behind Kane and runner-up Mbappé, as reported by welt.de. While Lamine Yamal collected the award for the best young talent of the year, his uncle took direct aim at the winner’s career stage.

“They always say: Lamine is very young, he is 19 years old, he will win more, but Harry only has three days of football left in front of him, and we are gifting him the ball,” Abdul Yamal said on El Larguero, according to welt.de. He further argued that while the English forward is a goalscorer, his nephew represents a more complete player: “He won the World Cup, La Liga, and the Supercup. He has played an unbelievable season. He scores goals that no one else scores. Passes, assists, everything. If you like football, you go to Lamine, not to Harry Kane.”

Guti Alleges a London Venue Conspiracy in Television Broadcast

The selection process also drew criticism from former Real Madrid midfielder Guti, who appeared on the television broadcast El Chiringuito to question the integrity of the voting, as detailed by welt.de. Having played more than 500 matches for Real Madrid, the pundit suggested that the geographical location of the gala influenced the outcome.

“It’s quite a coincidence that they organize the award ceremony in London and that a Londoner wins out of all people, right?” Guti stated on El Chiringuito. The television pundit claimed that the event felt predetermined, noting that such an impression had stayed with him throughout the history of the accolade.

Organizers Shift Gala Venue to Honor English Football History

While the ceremony traditionally takes place in Paris, organizers relocated this year’s event to the London Palladium. According to the reporting by welt.de, the venue change marked the seventieth anniversary of the institution and served to honor English football pioneer Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1956. Consequently, suggestions that the location was chosen specifically to benefit the former Tottenham Hotspur striker were dismissed as far-fetched by ceremony observers.

Unresolved Questions Surrounding Future Voting Integrity

As the fallout from the London gala continues to circulate, neither the award organizers nor representatives for Harry Kane have issued formal responses to the remarks made by Abdul Yamal or Guti. Questions regarding the exact voting margins between Kane and Mbappé remain undisclosed beyond the organizers’ confirmation of a narrow finish, leaving the debate over the individual football honor open.