Coming off a runner-up finish to Cristiano Ronaldo for the “Best of All Time” (BOAT) honor, Lionel Messi once again fell short of individual hardware, losing the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or to Harry Kane following the Englishman’s dominant run over the club campaign and the 2026 World Cup.
As the official country-by-country ballots were unveiled, the tally revealed that Messi earned first-place backing from just six nations. Only voters from Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Panama selected the Argentine maestro atop their 2026 Ballon d’Or submissions.
The result lands amid mounting speculation over the twilight of Messi’s iconic career, with persistent rumors linking him to an emotional homecoming at boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario before he finally hangs up his boots.
Meanwhile, the historic race to 1,000 career goals between Messi and Ronaldo tilted further in the Portuguese superstar’s favor, after Ronaldo netted a sensational hat trick for Al Nassr in Saudi Pro League action.
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona holds up the FIFA Ballon d’Or trophy.
The countries that voted for Kane
In the official voting breakdown for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, Kane hoisted the golden sphere with 1,055 points after sweeping the top spot on ballots across 40 nations. His victory was anchored by a dominant European bloc led by England, with unanimous support from representatives in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, and Scotland.
Outside Europe, Kane built an insurmountable cushion across the Americas, collecting first-place votes in Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
He also picked up vital backing across Asia and Oceania from voters in Australia, Iran, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan. Key African nations—including South Africa, Angola, Senegal, and Uganda—likewise stamped the Bayern Munich talisman as their undisputed No. 1.
Countries that voted for Mbappe and Yamal
Kylian Mbappe settled for second place with 1,027 points, earning 23 first-place nods from the international media panel. Mbappe secured marquee European ballots—notably from Germany’s voter, who picked the Real Madrid superstar over Bundesliga standout Kane—alongside steady support throughout Francophone and Sub-Saharan Africa.
However, the Frenchman’s push for top honors took a critical hit when voters from Greece, Scotland, and Ukraine left him entirely off their 10-player ballots.
Lamine Yamal rounded out the podium in third place with 881 points, capturing 13 first-place votes worldwide. The 19-year-old Barcelona phenom claimed top billing across three Arab nations—Algeria, Jordan, and Tunisia—while also securing first-place selections from voters in Albania, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Honduras, Mexico, North Macedonia, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, and Wales.
Key takeaways
- Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or after beating Lionel Messi.
- Lionel Messi received first-place backing from six nations in the voting.
- Harry Kane totaled 1,055 points after finishing first across 40 nations.
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