Ballon d’Or 2026: Kane wins as Bellingham and Raphinha rankings fuel debate

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but the final standings prompted widespread debate after several leading players finished well below expectations in one of the strongest competitions for the award in recent years.

Spanish newspaper AS highlighted a number of notable results, including Jude Bellingham’s 11th-place finish. The Real Madrid midfielder was joined outside the top 10 by Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha, who placed 14th, and Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, who finished 12th.

Bellingham misses out on top 10

Bellingham’s position was one of the biggest surprises in the voting. Despite his performances for Real Madrid and a strong World Cup campaign in which he scored seven goals, he was unable to break into the top 10.

AS argued that Bellingham deserved a higher placing based on his displays during the tournament, saying the result did not match the expectations surrounding the England international before the rankings were announced.

Vitinha, meanwhile, dropped to 14th despite playing an important role in Paris Saint-Germain’s achievements, including the club’s second successive UEFA Champions League triumph.

The Portugal midfielder finished third in the previous edition after scoring eight goals and providing five assists. In the latest season, he recorded seven goals and 10 assists, figures broadly similar to his previous campaign.

The report suggested Portugal’s performance at the World Cup may have influenced voters’ assessment of Vitinha. He nevertheless remained one of the key players in Luis Enrique’s team.

Cubarsi’s 12th-place finish also attracted attention. The Barcelona defender missed out on the top 10 despite an impressive campaign for both his club and Spain.

His ranking led to discussion among supporters on social media, with some arguing that his contribution during the 2025-2026 season deserved greater recognition, particularly given his importance to both Barcelona and the Spain national team.

PSG players fall short of expectations

Fabian Ruiz’s 10th-place finish raised further questions over how much his achievements had been valued. He contributed to Paris Saint-Germain’s trophies and was among the players to win major honours with both club and country during the season.

Ousmane Dembele, who came seventh, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, in sixth, were also the subject of debate. AS suggested Kvaratskhelia warranted a higher position after his performances and role in Paris Saint-Germain’s European campaign.

Although Paris Saint-Germain had a strong presence among the 30 nominees, the report said its players did not receive the recognition expected in the final voting. The club was the best represented among the nominees, with Ferran Torres included in the figures cited.

Michael Olise finished ninth, behind eighth-placed Erling Haaland, despite an impressive season with Bayern Munich.

The inclusion of players such as Sadio Mane and Quinones, alongside the omission of Raphinha, Pedri, Warren Zaire-Emery, Mikel Oyarzabal and Unai Simon, also led to questions about the voting criteria.

Raphinha’s absence was singled out as one of the most striking decisions, given the Barcelona forward’s outstanding season and what supporters viewed as a clear gap between his performances and the final rankings.