Lamine Yamal takes Ballon d’Or disappointment in his stride after Harry Kane victory

Lamine Yamal takes Ballon d’Or disappointment in his stride after Harry Kane victory Lamine Yamal travelled to London hoping to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but the Barcelona winger increasingly suspected that Harry Kane would claim the prestigious award, reports SPORT . The 19-year-old ultimately finished behind the Bayern Munich striker and Kylian Mbappe , missing out on the main prize for the second consecutive year while collecting his third straight Kopa Trophy. Despite the disappointment, the teenager accepted the result with good grace and remains focused and determined on winning the top honour in the future. Barcelona sensed Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph The identities of the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or winners were among the ceremony’s most closely guarded secrets. Other award recipients had been informed more than a week earlier, while Barcelona already knew that Lamine had secured the Kopa Trophy by a narrow margin over teammate Pau Cubarsi. Just a couple of votes separated the two young players. There was genuine optimism within Barcelona’s delegation that Lamine could win the main award. However, there had been growing expectations in the days leading up to the ceremony that Kane would emerge victorious. Lamine himself had begun to suspect the outcome approximately a week earlier. With the ceremony taking place in London, the Bayern striker’s hometown, the atmosphere appeared increasingly favourable to the Englishman. Lamine suspected Kane would win the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) Those suspicions grew stronger when the Barcelona delegation arrived in the British capital and noticed the growing sense that Kane was set to win. Lamine also took note of the presence of Bayern Munich’s senior leadership in London, interpreting it as a possible indication that the German club expected its striker to collect the award. He believed the celebrations had been prepared both in London and in Munich. Lamine accepts defeat and keeps his focus on the future Kane’s victory did not provoke a negative reaction from Lamine, who accepted the outcome with complete sporting grace. At just 19, the Barcelona forward has already featured in the Ballon d’Or top 10 three times, finishing on the podium twice. He remains convinced that he can eventually win the award and is determined to keep working towards that goal. Following the ceremony, the Barcelona No. 10 returned to his hotel to rest alongside his partner, Ines Garcia. Lamine confident his time will come. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) The winger had considered celebrating a potential Ballon d’Or victory at a private venue in one of London’s leading restaurants. Some members of Barcelona’s security staff had even looked into possible locations. However, he ultimately decided against organising a celebration, partly because the mood suggested that he was unlikely to win. Instead, Lamine enjoyed a quieter evening, having dinner with Garcia in his hotel room before getting some much-needed rest. Missing out on the Ballon d’Or for a second successive year will inevitably disappoint Lamine, but his reaction underlines his maturity. At 19, he has already established himself among the world’s elite and collected three consecutive Kopa Trophies. And, as pointed out by Barcelona president Joan Laporta , him winning the Ballon d’Or is only a matter of time.