Ballon D’Or 2026: ‘He’s one of them’ – What Mbappé said about Kane after England star won award

According to a report from Daily Post Nigeria, on Tuesday October 27, 2024, Kylian Mbappé has congratulated Harry Kane after the England striker won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with the Real Madrid forward finishing second. Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal placed third.

Speaking to Athlon Sports, Mbappé said Kane deserved the honour and praised his standing among football’s elite. “He deserves it; he’s a great player. People came to see great players, and he’s one of them,” he said.

Mbappé’s second-place finish was his best result in the award’s history. He had an outstanding individual season, scoring 25 goals in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League. He also netted 10 times at the 2026 World Cup, taking his career total in the tournament to 22.

However, neither Real Madrid nor France won a major trophy during the season, a factor that may have worked against him in the voting.

Mbappé had previously said he would not prepare an acceptance speech, explaining that he believed doing so could invite bad luck. When Kane was announced as the winner, Mbappé was among the first to congratulate him.

The forward arrived at the ceremony after scoring twice in Real Madrid’s 2–1 El Clásico victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou.

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