Kane received the award on Monday night in London, finishing ahead of Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé.

In an interview with El Larguero, Abdellaoui said it was deeply disappointing that Kane had taken the prize ahead of Yamal, arguing that the Barcelona winger deserved the prestigious individual honour over the England captain because of his outstanding performances.

"Well, the truth is it is really sad," Abdellaoui said.

"My nephew was the best player in the world. If you like football, you go to see Lamine Yamal, not Harry Kane," he said.

Yamal, who finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or ranking, won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player in the world.