South Africa’s Ballon d’Or Vote Revealed As Harry Kane Claims Top Spot

South Africa placed Harry Kane at the top of its Ballon d’Or voting list, backing the England international ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal in this year’s prestigious football award.

The voting breakdown, released by France Football, confirmed the country’s first-choice candidate after Kane was announced as the winner at Monday night’s ceremony in London.

The Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of Real Madrid forward Mbappe, who took second place, while Barcelona youngster Yamal secured third. Kane’s triumph also marked a significant moment for English football, as he became the first player from England to win the Ballon d’Or since 2001.

South Africa was among the countries that gave Kane their highest ranking. The country was also one of four African nations to place the Bayern star at number one, according to the published voting information.

The result provides a glimpse into how football journalists and voters across different countries assessed the leading performers during the season. While the overall award went to Kane, the individual voting records show that support for the eventual winner came from several parts of the world.

Ballon d’Or chief Vincent Garcia also disclosed that the contest between Kane and Mbappe was exceptionally tight. Speaking to French publication L’Équipe, Garcia said the difference between the two candidates was even smaller than the 41-point margin that separated Rodri and Vinícius Júnior in 2024.

He explained that Mbappe had led the race for a considerable period before Kane eventually moved ahead to secure the award. Garcia also acknowledged the Real Madrid forward’s outstanding season, describing the contest for first place as extremely close.

Kane’s victory therefore came after a closely fought voting process, rather than a comfortable win over his main challenger.

With South Africa’s preference now confirmed, the released figures offer local football followers an opportunity to see how the country’s vote fitted into the wider international decision that crowned Kane the latest Ballon d’Or winner.

Source: https://x.com/kickoffmagazine/status/2116416460213870792?s=46

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