Samir Nasri Questions Harry Kane Winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or

It was a special night for Harry Kane as his career reached an individual peak, with the Bayern Munich and England striker winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Recognised as the best player on the planet, the 33-year-old became the first British player to lift the award since Michael Owen in 2001.

Kane made headlines for his stunning performances across the 2025/26 season, scoring a combined 73 goals for club and country as Bayern lifted the Bundesliga title and the Three Lions finished third at the World Cup. That’s not to say he was the outright favourite for the award, though.

Indeed, both Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal had strong claims for the Ballon d’Or, but had to settle for second and third place respectively. Not everyone appears to be happy with the final voting, however, as former footballer Samir Nasri questioned the outcome.

Samir Nasri Questions Kane’s ‘Weakness’ Amid Ballon d’Or Win

Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Nasri, who spent time in England playing for the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City, did not hold back when he was asked for his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner. Although the Frenchman acknowledged Kane’s ‘extraordinary’ quality, he insisted that the player hadn’t done enough in the ‘very big matches’ to win the award.

Speaking to Canal+, Nasri appeared less than impressed: “Harry Kane, Ballon d’Or… OK, the statistics made the difference. He’s a fantastic player with so many qualities.

“But he’s an extraordinary player.”

When asked if the ceremony’s outcome excited him, Nasri summed up his mood, bluntly remarking:

It’s interesting to note that Kane is the only Ballon d’Or winner in the last 30 years to have never won an international trophy with either his national team or any of his clubs.

Nasri’s comments caused a big stir online, with many flocking to social media to react one way or the other.

Yamal and Mbappe Just Didn’t Do Enough in 2026

Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Kane certainly had a special year when it comes to his aforementioned goalscoring stats, but it is true that he didn’t get his hands on any of the game’s biggest prizes, such as the Champions League or the World Cup.

Even so, Mbappe, who finished second, failed to win those competitions as well. Yamal did with the 2026 World Cup, but scored just one goal as he was not quite at his best during the summer. As such, Spain teammate Rodri (who came fourth in the Ballon d’Or vote) was named as the Player of the Tournament, which likely hurt the teenager’s chances of being crowned the world’s best player at the London ceremony.

Yamal’s uncle was among those who expressed his anger over the Spaniard’s snub. Abdul Abdellaoui told the press: “Well, the truth is it’s really sad, I feel really bad.

“My nephew was amazing, he was the best player in the world, everyone knows it. If you like football, you go to see Lamine, not Harry Kane. Harry Kane is a great goalscorer but Lamine is the best player who shines on the pitch and if he’s unlucky, there’s next year.”

Much like Nasri, he also suggested the major trophies won should have played more of a role in the voting, adding: “He’s won the World Cup, La Liga, the Super Cup, he plays really well, he’s had an incredible season, he scores goals that nobody else can. Passes, assists, whatever you want.”