Guti questions Kane's Ballon d'Or win after ceremony moves to London
Former Real Madrid midfielder Guti has cast doubt on Harry Kane's 2026 Ballon d'Or victory, pointing to the ceremony's unprecedented move to London as suspicious. "The Ballon d'Or ceremony moves to London… and someone from London wins it. What a coincidence, right? Quite a coincidence, isn't it? It was written from the very beginning," Guti said.
Organisers confirmed Kane beat Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé by a narrow margin, with Mbappé leading the voting until the final weeks. This marks the first time in the award's 70-year history that the ceremony has been held in London.
The controversy raises questions about whether hosting the gala in a finalist's home nation influences voter perception. Kane, England's captain, plays for Bayern Munich but the London connection appears central to Guti's scepticism. Mbappé, who transferred to Real Madrid in 2024, was widely favoured after a stellar season.
No formal challenge to the result has been announced. The Ballon d'Or voting process involves journalists from FIFA's top 100 ranked nations, with results typically kept confidential until the ceremony.
Does hosting the ceremony in a winner's home country compromise the award's credibility, or is this just coincidence?