Lamine Yamal breaks silence on Harry Kane winning Ballon d'Or with classy statement

Lamine Yamal was pipped to the Ballon d'Or by Harry Kane at the awards ceremony in London on October 26, and the Barcelona superstar has issued a classy statement after missing out on the award.

Yamal was one of the favourites for football's most prestigious individual award after scoring 24 goals for Barcelona in the 2025/26 campaign before starring in Spain's World Cup-winning triumph.

The 19-year-old would have been a worthy winner if he had been selected by the majority and instead had to settle for his third Kopa Trophy, the award given to the world's best young player at the Ballon d'Or.

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Lamine Yamal's first words after missing out on Ballon d'Or to Harry Kane

When he stepped onto the stage to collect his Kopa Trophy after also winning it in 2024 and 2025, Yamal received widespread praise for his reaction, suggesting that his teammate Pau Cubarsi deserved it instead.

Yamal said in Spanish (as translated on-air by DAZN): "Good evening, everybody. It is an honour to be here and receive this incredible prize.

"I would have liked Pau Cubarsi, our teammate, to be here, because I think this prize should have been for him. He deserved it. He's been playing at an exceptional level, and I wish he'd have won this tonight.

"This is my third year of being here for this prize, and I'm very grateful. I'd like to thank my club, my national team, and everybody, and I'd like to continue working to win these collective and individual prizes."

A classy comment from someone so young went viral on social media, and he's since released an equally mature statement after missing out on the Ballon d'Or to Kane.

"IT WILL COME. Good things take time. Without a hurry, with excitement and with tranquility, that someday my time will come," Yamal wrote on Instagram.

“Congratulations to the winners. My focus is again on what’s important: making FC Barcelona win again.”

At the age of 19, Yamal will have plenty more attempts to win football's biggest individual prize, and his mentality after coming third proves he won't stop until he gets his hands on it.

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Lamine Yamal's uncle wasn't happy Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or

While the Spaniard was gracious after coming third in the Ballon d'Or, Yamal's uncle wasn't happy that Kane collected the gong instead.

“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.

“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.”

Abdellaoui also claimed that Yamal’s age may have negatively affected the result.

“Since Lamine is young, they always say he has time, he’s 19, and that’s why they’re not giving him the award,” he added.

“Harry, with only three days of football left, they’re saying, ‘come on, we’ll give him the award’.

“He’s won the World Cup, La Liga and the Super Cup. He plays really well; he’s had an incredible season, he scores goals that nobody else can. Passes, assists, whatever you want.”

“Lamine will win more than one, but the sadness will pass in three days. In a few days, he will be fine.”

Yamal returns to action with Barcelona on Saturday (October 31) as they host Deportivo Alaves at the Camp Nou.

Men’s Ballon d’Or

1. Harry Kane
2. Kylian Mbappé
3. Lamine Yamal
4. Rodri
5. Lionel Messi
6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
7. Ousmane Dembélé
8. Erling Haaland
9. Michael Olise
10. Fabián Ruiz

Women’s Ballon d’Or

1. Alexia Putellas
2. Ewa Pajor
3. Khadija Shaw
4. Melchie Dumornay
5. Patri Guijarro
6. Caroline Graham Hansen
7. Pernille Harder
8. Clàudia Pina
9. Alessia Russo
10. Temwa Chawinga

Men’s Kopa Trophy

1. Lamine Yamal
2. Pau Cubarsí
3. Warren Zaïre-Emery
4. Lennart Karl
5. Yan Diomande
6. Ayyoub Bouaddi
7. Kerim Alajbegović
8. Éli Junior Kroupi
9. Ibrahim Maza
10. Johan Manzambi

Men’s Yashin Trophy

1. Unai Simón
2. David Raya
3. Thibaut Courtois
4. Matvey Safonov
5. Emiliano Martínez
6. Vozinha
7. Joan García
8. Yassine Bounou
9. Édouard Mendy
10. Gregor Kobel