Ballon d'Or 2026: Controversial Votes Revealed

France Football released the full results of the 2026 Ballon d'Or vote on Friday, shedding light on several surprising choices among the 100 voting journalists. Harry Kane won by a slim margin of 28 points over Kylian Mbappé.

Among the most talked-about votes, the Greek journalist put Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in first place, followed by Rodri and Willian Pacho. Harry Kane appears only seventh in that ranking. Curaçao's Ukrainian representative was the only one to pick Michael Olise as a first choice.

National preferences also swayed some votes: Morocco favored Achraf Hakimi, while most African countries went for Kylian Mbappé. Algeria picked Lamine Yamal first.

The unusual ballots did not stop Harry Kane from winning the trophy despite the slim margin over his main rival, confirming that individual perception remains an important factor in this vote.

National Choices and Controversies

Morocco picked Achraf Hakimi first, while other African countries mostly voted for Kylian Mbappé. Algeria prefers Lamine Yamal, who rounds out the podium with 881 points.

Other votes raised questions. For example, a journalist from Gabon put Fabian Ruiz at the top of their ranking despite his limited performances this season. The Greek representative left both Mbappé and Yamal out of their top 10.

Reactions and Criticism

Some voters were criticized for their choices, notably the Moroccan journalist who picked Achraf Hakimi ahead of Kane and Mbappé. Social media seized on the most surprising ballots.

Voting Context

The Ballon d'Or is decided by a jury made up of one journalist for each country in the top 100 of the FIFA men's rankings. The votes were released on Friday, four days after the trophy ceremony.