According to a report by Metro on Tuesday October 27, 2026, Lamine Yamal's uncle, Abdul Abdellaoui, has expressed his disappointment after the Barcelona winger finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.

Kane won the prestigious award at Monday night's ceremony at the London Palladium, becoming the first Englishman to claim the prize since Michael Owen in 2001.

However, Abdellaoui believes his nephew deserved to win the award, insisting that the 19-year-old is the best player in the world.

Speaking to Cadena SER's El Larguero, Yamal's uncle did not hide his disappointment with the outcome.

“Well, the truth is it's really sad, I feel really bad,” he said. “My nephew was amazing, he was the best player in the world, everyone knows it. If you like football, you go to see Lamine, not Harry Kane.”

Abdellaoui acknowledged Kane's goalscoring qualities but maintained that Yamal offers something different on the pitch.

“Harry Kane is a great goalscorer but Lamine is the best player who shines on the pitch and if he's unlucky, there's next year,” he added.

He also suggested that Yamal's young age may have influenced the voting, arguing that voters might believe the Barcelona star has plenty of time to win the award in the future.

Despite missing out on the main prize, Yamal did not leave the ceremony empty-handed, as he won the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year.

The Barcelona winger enjoyed an impressive 2025-26 campaign, recording 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 appearances for the Catalan club.

He also helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, while contributing to Spain's World Cup triumph.

Kane, meanwhile, produced outstanding goalscoring numbers during the voting period, finishing with 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country.

The Bayern Munich striker scored 61 goals in 51 games for his club and helped England finish third at the World Cup, strengthening his case for the individual honour.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta also believed Yamal deserved the Ballon d'Or, although he accepted the final result and suggested it should motivate the teenager to keep improving.