Conspiracy! Did Harry Kane only win the Ballon d'Or because the ceremony changed location?

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

On Monday, Harry Kane became the first Englishman in over 20 years to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or trophy.

The England and Bayern Munich forward enjoyed a remarkable 2025/26 campaign in which he scored 73 goals for club and country - a tally bettered only by Lionel Messi's outrageous 82-goal haul during the 2011-12 season.

Kane was one of three outstanding candidates heading into the ceremony alongside Real Madrid and France's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona and Spain's Lamine Yamal.

His victory was not universally popular. In fact, former Real Madrid midfielder Guti suggested that Kane was always going to win after the ceremony location was changed from Paris to London.

"It just so happens that, for the 70th anniversary, they move the ceremony to London and someone from London wins it," Guti said on El Chiringuito.

HARRY KANE IS THE 2026 BALLON D'OR! #ballondor https://t.co/k3CUlwLF1E

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

"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 another pundit on the show interjected to suggest the outcome was "orchestrated", Guti replied:

"Completely. Absolutely. That's what I think, and it's what I've thought about this award for a long time."

The Spaniard even insisted that Kane himself did not believe he was going to win the Ballon d'Or - judging by the look of shock on his face.

"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.”

France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia subsequently confirmed that the final margin of victory was exceptionally tight, as Kane beat second-placed Mbappe by just 41 points.

2026 Ballon d'Or ranking

The ceremony belatedly started at 9:45 pm CET at the London Palladium, but France Football had already revealed rankings 30 to 11 well in advance, with the two top 10s revealed during the show.