Former Real Madrid midfielder Gutierrez Hernandez has questioned the credibility of Harry Kane’s 2026 Ballon d’Or triumph, suggesting that the England captain’s victory may have been predetermined.

Kane was crowned the world’s best player at Monday’s ceremony in London, finishing ahead of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona teenage star Lamine Yamal.

However, Guti is unconvinced by the outcome, raising suspicions over the decision to stage the prestigious ceremony in London for the first time.

London Hosting The Ballon d’Or Is More Than A ‘Coincidence’ – Guti

According to GOAL, the former Spain international expressed his reservations during an appearance on Spanish television programme El Chiringuito de Jugones, where he suggested that the location of the ceremony and Kane’s eventual victory were more than a coincidence.

“It just so happens that, for the 70th anniversary, they move the ceremony to London and someone from London wins it,” Guti remarked. “It’s an incredible coincidence that they move it to London and someone from London wins it, isn’t it? I mean, it’s as if everything is…”

When a fellow pundit interjected to suggest the outcome was “orchestrated”, Guti quickly agreed. “Completely. Absolutely,” he responded. “That’s what I think, and it’s what I’ve thought about this award for a long time.”

The Spaniard also pointed to the striker’s stunned demeanour when the result was revealed. “I’m telling you, when I saw the look on his face when they announced Harry Kane, he never in his life thought he was going to win it,” he said.

“Never. I think he expected both Lamine Yamal and Mbappe to finish ahead of him. You only have to look at his face.”

Despite the controversy surrounding his victory, Kane enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign, scoring 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England.

His remarkable tally played a significant role in securing his first Ballon d’Or, although the final voting results showed just how closely contested the race had been.

Ballon d’Or Chief Reveals Kane’s Margin Over Mbappe Is Small

France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia confirmed that Kane’s winning margin over Mbappe was even smaller than the 41-point difference separating Rodri and Vinicius Junior in the 2024 voting.

“This year, there were several serious contenders,” Garcia explained. “The two closest were the top two, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe, and the race between them was decided by very little.

“The points gap between Kane and Mbappe was smaller than the gap between Rodri and Vinicius in 2024, which was 41 points – and that was already a very narrow margin at the time.”

Garcia noted that momentum shifted dramatically late in the voting process. “It was incredibly close,” he added.

“I was watching the results in real time during the month of the vote. Kylian led the race for a long time, but Harry Kane came back into contention, and in the end, it was decided by a very, very small number of points.”