Albania’s vote for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has highlighted a ranking that does not match the trophy’s final result. At the top of Besnik Dizdari’s list was Lamine Yamal, while Harry Kane, who won the award, was placed much lower in the standings.
Yamal receives the maximum points from Albania
According to the published ranking, Albania’s representative in the Ballon d’Or vote, journalist Besnik Dizdari, gave Lamine Yamal first place and the maximum 15 points.
Rodri was ranked second with 12 points, while Ousmane Dembélé was third with 10 points. This shows that the first choice of the Albanian vote was clearly the Barcelona talent.
Then Mbappé and Haaland
Next in the ranking, Kylian Mbappé was placed fourth with 8 points.
Erling Haaland held fifth place with 7 points, completing Albania’s top five in the vote.
Kane wins the trophy, but not the confidence of the Albanian vote
The part that draws the most attention is Harry Kane’s positioning. Although he emerged as the winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, in Dizdari’s list he appears only in seventh place.
From Albania’s vote, the England striker received 4 points, a clear difference between the final result of the award and the assessment given in this ranking.
The publication of this vote highlights how national preferences in the Ballon d’Or race can differ significantly from the final result.
In Albania’s case, the name placed at the top was not the trophy winner, but Lamine Yamal.