• France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia addressed the outcome of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, which Lamine Yamal missed
• Garcia pointed to a division of votes among Spain's top players as a key factor in the final result
• Yamal had another exceptional season, finishing with 25 goals and 20 assists alongside major honours at club and international level

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France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia has offered an explanation for why Lamine Yamal failed to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, suggesting that fragmented support among Spanish players ultimately worked against the Barcelona forward's chances.

Why Lamine Yamal lost the Ballon d'Or award

Speaking to L'Equipe, Garcia pointed to the presence of fellow Spain international Rodri in the voting field as a significant complicating factor, arguing that the two players drew from a shared pool of support.

"I do think there was a split in the voting between Rodri and Lamine Yamal from that Spanish team that won the World Cup," Garcia said, as quoted by Barca Blaugranes.

Lamine Yamal’s viral photo after Ballon d’Or 2026 defeat gets fans talking

"I think Rodri took votes away from Lamine in this ballot. There was some fragmentation of the Spanish vote, and, above all, Spain stood out as a team. That's why it was difficult to single out one individual performance as being clearly above the rest."

Garcia's remarks suggest that Spain's strength as a collective unit, rather than any weakness in Yamal's individual contribution, made it difficult for voters to consolidate behind a single candidate from the same squad.

Yamal endures Ballon d'Or heartbreak as Kane wins

Lamine's miss was Harry Kane's gain, as the Englishman was named the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner at the ceremony held in London, with Yamal visibly emotional as the announcement was made.

The 19-year-old had delivered a remarkable campaign, recording 25 goals and 20 assists while collecting a World Cup winners' medal with Spain and a La Liga title with Barcelona, per Ballon d'Or's website.

Ballon d’Or 2026: How Kane beat Mbappe to win the award emerges

This marked the second consecutive edition in which Yamal finished as runner-up, having previously lost out to Ousmane Dembele.

Garcia's account implies the vote split proved decisive, preventing the concentrated backing that Kane ultimately received from assembling around the Spanish winger.

Despite back-to-back near-misses and a body of work that has few equals among players his age, Yamal leaves the 2026 ceremony without the Golden Ball.

Yamal's immediate reaction after Ballon d'Or snub

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Lamine Yamal looked devastated at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony as Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane claimed the prestigious honour.

Images shared online appeared to show the 19-year-old Barcelona star with tears in his eyes while dressed in a black suit.