Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or Victory Reveals a Divided Global Vote
Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph was decided by a narrow margin, but the full voting breakdown has revealed an unexpected detail: journalists from only two countries left the England striker out of their top 10. According to Spanish newspaper AS, citing figures published by France Football, those voters represented Mexico and Ivory Coast.
The omission stands out because Kane ultimately finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé by just 28 points. The result underlines how closely contested the award was—and how individual rankings across dozens of countries can shape the final outcome. In a vote where every placement contributes to a player’s total, a name missing from a top 10 can have a meaningful effect, even if it does not determine the result on its own.
How Kane edged Mbappé
France Football published the complete breakdown of the men’s Ballon d’Or voting, showing that Kane led more individual ballots than any other contender. He was placed first by voters from 40 countries, compared with 23 first-place votes for Mbappé. Those rankings helped Kane secure the award, while the overall 28-point gap confirmed just how close the race remained.
The totals offer a useful reminder about how the Ballon d’Or works: the winner is determined not only by first-place selections, but by the combined rankings submitted by journalists. A player can earn strong support across many ballots without dominating every national vote. That makes the final result a snapshot of global opinion, rather than a simple count of how many voters chose one player as their outright favourite.
Kane’s success also reflects the scale of his standing in world football. The Bayern Munich striker entered the voting conversation as one of the sport’s most prominent forwards, and his win over Mbappé gave the award a compelling finish. The narrow margin is likely to keep the debate alive among fans, particularly those comparing the players’ performances, influence and consistency over the period considered by voters.
Mbappé and Yamal also missed some top 10s
Kane was not the only leading contender to be excluded from certain national rankings. Mbappé was left off the top 10 by voters from Greece, Scotland and Ukraine. Those omissions contrast with his 23 first-place votes, illustrating how sharply opinions could differ from one country to another.
Lamine Yamal, who finished third with 881 points, was absent from four top 10 lists. Voters from Belarus, Cameroon, Croatia and Greece did not include the young Spanish star among their leading choices. Even so, Yamal collected 13 first-place votes—a significant show of support for a player whose rapid rise has made him one of football’s most closely watched talents.
The pattern highlights the varied perspectives behind the award. Journalists may weigh individual statistics, team success, performances in major competitions and a player’s overall influence differently. National football cultures and the matches voters follow most closely can also shape their assessments. As a result, the same contender can be viewed as a leading candidate in one country and left out of another country’s top 10.
Rodri and Fabián Ruiz drew strong national backing
Rodri finished fourth and was the highest-ranked Spaniard after Yamal. Although his final position placed him behind the top three, he received first-place votes from 10 countries: Nigeria, the United States, Guatemala, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Thailand, Vietnam, Croatia and Iceland.
That spread of support points to Rodri’s broad international appeal. His recognition across countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe suggests that voters valued his contribution beyond a single region. His fourth-place finish also ensured that Spain had two prominent players near the top of the final standings, with Yamal taking third and Rodri following in fourth.
Fabián Ruiz completed the top 10 and earned first-place votes from journalists in Gabon, Peru, Syria and Ukraine. His presence among the leading finishers—and the support he received from four countries—adds another layer to the results. The voting was not shaped exclusively by the most publicised names; several players attracted strong backing from voters who ranked them above the eventual winner.
What the voting breakdown tells football fans
The detailed results make the Ballon d’Or more than a headline about who lifted the trophy. They reveal where support came from, which players inspired passionate backing and how a small number of rankings can influence the wider conversation. Kane’s victory was built on substantial support, but the close margin against Mbappé shows that the race remained competitive until the points were combined.
For supporters looking ahead to future awards, the breakdown also offers a reminder that predicting the Ballon d’Or is difficult. Goals and headline performances matter, but so do consistency, team achievements and the way players are perceived across an international electorate. A strong prediction must account for the full voting system—not just a player’s reputation or a handful of standout moments.
Ultimately, the figures tell a story of both consensus and disagreement. Kane received the most first-place votes and finished as the overall winner, while Mbappé remained close behind. Yamal’s 881 points marked a major achievement, and Rodri and Ruiz also found dedicated supporters around the world. The two countries that omitted Kane from their top 10 may be the most striking footnote, but the broader lesson is that football’s biggest individual award is shaped by a genuinely global range of opinions.
