One of the most anticipated dates in international soccer arrived with the Ballon d’Or gala. However, the day began with controversy when the official website published three articles about Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappé, each naming a different winner.
About an hour before the event began, several users noticed that profiles of the three players, who arrived as favorites to complete this year’s podium, had been published. The articles were live for about half an hour before they were completely deleted, and trying to follow the original link returned an error.
Afterward, in its own live coverage, the Ballon d’Or website said it was an “involuntary error” and that it does not reflect the podium. “The profiles of some Ballon d’Or candidates, prepared by ballondor.com, have been published on the internet involuntarily. These articles were written for different candidates, anticipating a possible victory. In no case do they announce the podium, which, as of today, nobody knows,” the text states.
2026 Ballon d’Or Site Accidentally Names Three Winners
In Harry Kane’s case, the article focused on his scoring ability and his great season with Bayern Munich and the England national team, despite the 2026 World Cup result. “Harry Kane wins the 2026 Ballon d’Or: these are his best and most significant of his 61 goals of the season,” it read.
Meanwhile, the focus on the Barcelona player was his young age and what he has achieved in such a short time, including the fact that he would become the youngest winner of the award if he succeeds. “At just 19 years old, Lamine Yamal has become the youngest winner in the history of the Ballon d’Or, which was created in 1956,” it said.
Finally, the article said the French forward became the player with the most World Cup goals. “A record World Cup and another flood of goals for Real Madrid have earned Kylian Mbappé his first Ballon d’Or,” Mbappé’s article said before it was deleted along with the other two.
Although it is not yet known who will win, the award’s official Twitter account has already confirmed the ten finalists. In addition to Mbappé, Kane and Lamine, the reigning champion Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Lionel Messi, who boasts eight Ballon d’Ors so far, stand out. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise complete the Top 10.
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