Ballon d'Or 2026: Medhi Benatia cannot understand Messi's ranking

On Monday evening, Harry Kane's triumph at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony failed to convince many people. Medhi Benatia made his disappointment clear.

Within the Mbappé camp, they were convinced that the France captain would win. That is what Medhi Benatia believes, as he feels Mbappé's goal-scoring records in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup should have carried more weight.

“Considering the World Cup he had, the number of goals he scored, the record behind it, and so on. For me, only someone who has won the major trophy can push him aside a little. Today, if I were Mbappé, I wouldn’t accept it. I see that Harry Kane has won it, and I’m furious. He didn’t win the World Cup, he didn’t win the Champions League. He still took a beating,” he said on the Les Affranchis show, broadcast on YouTube.

Lionel Messi's ranking comes as a shock

Harry Kane, the winner, finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. For Medhi Benatia, the fifth-place finish of Lionel Messi and Rodri's fourth place were not deserved either.

“It’s like Messi finishing fifth. All year, you’re in Miami and you finish fifth? Did European football fans watch Messi more than Olise? He was phenomenal at the World Cup, yes. The whole team plays for him. Respect, he’s our age. But how can you tell me Messi is fifth… And Rodri is fourth when he only played for four months?” he said.

Read also: Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo preselected for the November matches

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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