Ballon d’Or voting: Harry Kane’s victory was not Spain’s top choice

Harry Kane was not the preferred winner of the Ballon d’Or for Jose Felix Diaz, Spain’s only journalist involved in the voting for the award.

The AS editor revealed details of his ballot during an appearance on the El Larguero programme on Cadena SER. Kane won the prize ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, who finished second and third respectively.

“I expected Mbappe or Lamine Yamal because Harry Kane lacks something,” Diaz said, according to Defensa Central. “Of the 10 players I voted for, nine of them were in the top 10.”

Diaz did not say whether Mbappe or Yamal had been his first choice. The report suggested his support for Mbappe may have reflected the Frenchman’s outstanding goalscoring season, while the importance he attached to the World Cup could explain his preference for Yamal.

Four of the players included in Diaz’s leading selections were Spanish. However, he said the votes for the country’s World Cup winners had been divided, with no individual Spanish player standing out sufficiently during the tournament.

“The votes given to the world champions were spread around, and no Spanish player emerged as an exceptional figure at the World Cup, which was an obstacle,” Diaz said.

“The success at the World Cup should have been reflected more strongly, but De la Fuente and Unai Simon were the faces of Spanish football. Both were among the winners of the 2026 World Cup and received recognition.”

A familiar Ballon d’Or debate

Spain’s World Cup triumph did not produce a Spanish winner of the Ballon d’Or in either 2010 or 2026, despite the importance often placed on international achievements.

After Spain won the 2010 World Cup, Lionel Messi claimed the award, while Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez, both members of the victorious team, finished second and third respectively.

Diaz’s position also revived comparisons with what the report described as previous controversial outcomes, including Robert Lewandowski’s failure to win in 2021. The Bayern Munich striker was considered by many to have deserved the award, but Messi collected it in a decision that generated significant debate.

The report said Kane faced a similar situation in 2026 while competing with Barcelona player Yamal, who benefited from a strong media campaign. It argued that Kane had been the best player in his position, had dominated in Germany and had made a major impact in the Champions League and at the World Cup.

The 2026 award was described as one of the most open and uncertain in recent years, with a large group of credible contenders. Mbappe, Kane and Yamal occupied the top three places, and each had a case for victory.

For Diaz, however, Kane was the least deserving of the three finalists. He did not dispute that the England striker belonged among the contenders, but disagreed with the final result despite taking part in the vote. Individual ballot details will not be made public until next Saturday.