Controversy: the 2026 Ballon d’Or awarded to Harry Kane shakes Guti

The awarding of the 2026 Ballon d’Or to English striker Harry Kane, who plays for Bayern Munich, sparked a heated controversy in Spain, where the defeat of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal was heavily criticised.

A furious reaction from Guti

Former iconic figure of Real Madrid during the Galacticos era, Guti played more than 500 matches wearing the merengue shirt. Today a pundit after his stint on the bench, he appeared on the set of El Chiringuito immediately after the ceremony.

He expressed his incomprehension and anger, denouncing the result as “particularly questionable”. He pointed out that the gala was held in London, a coincidence he considers suspicious.

Mbappé leads Madrid's delegation to London for the Ballon d'Or

Doubts about the legitimacy of the vote

“It so happens that for its 70th edition, the ceremony takes place in London and is won by a Londoner. What a coincidence! Incredible, isn’t it?” Guti said, emphasizing the unlikely nature of the situation. He added: “Frankly, everything seems rigged, completely,” stating that the vote appears to him to be pre‑arranged.

The pundit also criticised Kane’s demeanor during the trophy presentation, noting that the British player’s face showed total surprise at the rankings of his rivals Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. “He never in his life thought he would win. I think he believed Lamine and Mbappé would outshine him,” he explained.

Lamine Yamal wins third Kopa Trophy at Ballon d'Or gala

Guti thus sums up the bewilderment of a segment of the Spanish press, which sees the victory of the former Tottenham striker as the result of a manipulated process rather than sporting merit.