'You go to see him, not Kane': Lamine Yamal's uncle
What's the story
Lamine Yamal's uncle, Abdul Abdellaoui, has slammed the decision to award Harry Kane the prestigious Ballon d'Or. He believes the football fans pay to watch his nephew play, not the Bayern Munich and England striker. The criticism comes after Kane became the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the most prestigious award in football. He edged past Kylian Mbappe and Yamal for the same.
Reaction
Abdellaoui feels nephew was robbed of the award
Abdellaoui, who runs a restaurant in Mataro, expressed his disappointment over the decision.
Speaking to Spanish radio programme El Larguero, he said, "Well, the truth is it's really sad, I feel really bad." He defended his nephew by saying that "everyone knows" he was the best player in the world.
Abdellaoui also said that while Kane is a great goalscorer, Yamal shines on the pitch and will have more opportunities to win such awards in the future.
Criteria debate
Selection criteria for Ballon d'Or
Abdellaoui also questioned the selection criteria for Ballon d'Or, saying that "since Lamine is young, they always say he has time, he's 19, and that's why they're not giving him the award."
He compared this with Kane's case, where he was awarded despite having only a few days of football left in the season.
Abdellaoui also defended his nephew's achievements this season and expressed hope for future recognition.
Reaction scrutiny
Yamal's reaction to Kane winning the award goes viral
Yamal's reaction to Kane winning the award has also made headlines.
Clips of the teenager looking visibly disappointed during the ceremony went viral on social media, with many fans mocking his response.
Some criticized him for being a "mal perdedor," while others defended him by saying that it is natural for a young player to feel disappointed after losing such a major award.
Pre-ceremony comments
Yamal's pre-award ceremony comments stir up debate
Before the ceremony, Yamal had questioned the award's judging criteria, saying it had shifted from identifying the best footballer to rewarding players based on trophies won.
His comments were widely discussed as he competed with Kane and Kylian Mbappe for the award.
Reports also suggested that Yamal had chartered a private jet to London for his family and friends in case he won.
Uncle's criticism
Kane enters football's elite
The biggest names in world football gathered for the prestigious Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony.
The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony took place at London Palladium, England. For the first time in history, the ceremony was held outside of France.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or eligibility window was between August 3, 2025 to July 19, 2026. And Kane scored a historic 73 goals and made 8 assists in 65 matches for club and country in this period.