José Mourinho expressed happiness for Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or while voicing stark frustration over Jude Bellingham finishing 11th. Speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga fixture against Racing Santander also defended Kylian Mbappé’s maturity following a close vote.
Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho addressed the 2026 Ballon d’Or results during his pre-match press conference ahead of the team’s upcoming league fixture against Racing Santander in the 11th round of La Liga. While the manager acknowledged disappointment that none of his current players claimed the prestigious golden ball, his remarks centered on deep admiration for an old colleague and utter bewilderment regarding the voting outcome for his English midfielder.
José Mourinho Praises Harry Kane After Voting Results
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane secured the Ballon d’Or with 1,055 points, edging out Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé by a narrow 28-point margin in a tight battle confirmed by vote breakdowns published by France Football. Kane received 40 first-place votes compared to 23 for the French forward. The victory makes Kane the first Bundesliga player to win the award since Matthias Sammer triumphed in 1996 as a Borussia Dortmund player. Kane celebrated a domestic double by winning both the league and the DFB Cup with his Munich club. Across all competitions during the campaign, the English striker found the back of the net 61 times while also providing another seven assists. Their continental campaign saw Bayern Munich advance further than Mbappé’s side by eliminating Real Madrid during the quarter-finals of the Champions League. On the international stage, Kane captained England past France in the third-place match at the World Cup held in North America.
❤️🤍🌕 Harry Kane presents the Ballon d’Or to all FC Bayern fans at Allianz Arena. pic.twitter.com/z0ZlyRCB5A
— https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2116585315892711830
Mourinho, who previously managed Kane for 86 competitive matches at Tottenham Hotspur between 2019 and 2021, set aside any club rivalry to celebrate his former player’s achievement.
I had the privilege of working with Harry Kane. He is a top player and a great professional. Of course I was frustrated that my player did not win. But even in the face of that disappointment, I am happy for Harry, who at his age deserves such an award for his entire career.
José Mourinho, Real Madrid head coach
Kylian Mbappé’s Runner-Up Finish and Jude Bellingham’s 11th Place
Mbappé claimed second place with 1,027 points, marking the highest ranking of his career. Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona finished third with 881 points. Mourinho defended his forward’s attitude and maturity in the wake of the close result, while singling out Mbappé as a uniquely historic talent whose achievements transcend annual cycles. The French attacker did not capture any significant trophies during his debut season at the Santiago Bernabéu.
However, the manager drew a hard line when discussing the final placement of midfielder Jude Bellingham. Bellingham finished in 11th place with 107 points, landing just behind Fabián Ruiz in 10th with 201 points following a voting outcome that left the coaching staff perplexed. Other notable rankings from the ceremony included Vinícius Júnior finishing 17th with 26 points and Marc Cucurella taking 18th position with 16 points.
As for the voting, what surprised me the most and left me almost speechless was Jude Bellingham’s finish in 11th place. I have no comment, this is where we end the discussion.
José Mourinho, Real Madrid head coach
Preparing for Racing Santander in La Liga
Shifting focus back to domestic competition, Mourinho evaluated his squad’s current standing and preparation ahead of the journey to Cantabria. The manager emphasized that the team’s overarching ambition remains capturing the league title rather than fixating solely on individual fixtures against Barcelona.
🚨 José Mourinho: “Jude Bellingham being 11th at the Ballon d’Or left me with NO words”.“Really, no comment”. pic.twitter.com/Tm1TqXexGY
— https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2116525665831068125
More on Ballon d'Or
📸 – Harry Kane posing with his family and the Ballon d'Or ahead of the game! ✨ pic.twitter.com/FA4hbacIo4
— https://x.com/TouchlineX/status/2116583971291005231