A body language expert has analysed the immediate reaction of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal after Harry Kane was announced as the Ballon d’Or winner. She claims that both runners-up were not happy about missing out and were caught by surprise.
Speaking to HardRockBet, Inbaal Honigman said Mbappé was dejected after missing out on the Ballon d’Or following his extensive campaign for the award. She added the Real Madrid star was patting Kane on the back for the sake of doing it and said:
Thanks for the submission!
“Kylian Mbappé‘s greeting is a little cold. His hand, tapping Harry Kane’s back, remains flat and tense, and his eyes are lowered. Mbappé is not really sharing in Kane’s joy.”
On Yamal’s reaction, Honigman said the Barcelona youngster was devastated to lose out on the award. She stated that he was shocked when Ronaldo announced the winner and was lost in thought. She said:
“Lamine Yamal’s facial expression starts with disappointment, eyes lowered, pensive. But as the seconds tick on, and his neutral face remains uninterrupted by any other expression or facial cue, it becomes apparent that Yamal is actually frozen with shock and devastation. If it were just a momentary drop [on his] neutral face, this could suggest that he’s lost in thought. However, the length of this expression indicates a more complex emotional reaction, one that cannot be brushed off quickly.”
She went on to state that Kane was also caught surprised at the gala after he was announced as the winner. She said:
“Harry Kane’s initial response is genuine shock. He glances downwards, eyebrows raised questioningly. His hands fly to his face, cupping his mouth and nose in an emergency protective cover – the cupped hands allowing him to breathe easily, as if he’s planning to keep this protective cover over his face for a while.”
“Within a couple of seconds, Kane flashes his eyes upwards, beseeching himself to make a move rather than stay sat down. The winner stands, his hands still covering his face, as they turn into a prayer position, which indicates gratitude.”
Kylian Mbappé came second in the Ballon d’Or race this year, while Lamine Yamal finished third.
Harry Kane edged out Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal for Ballon d’Or
Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or after his impressive season with Bayern Munich and England. He got 1055 points in the voting, just 28 more than second-placed Kylian Mbappé.
The Real Madrid striker collected 1027 points, while Lamine Yamal came in third with 881. His Barcelona teammate Rodri finished fourth with 726 points, with Lionel Messi coming in fifth with 612.
Edited by Sripad
