Unseen footage from the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony has captured Ousmane Dembélé’s immediate reaction after Harry Kane was announced as the winner of football’s most prestigious individual award.
Dembélé, who claimed the 2025 Ballon d’Or, finished seventh in this year’s rankings despite helping Paris Saint-Germain retain both Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season.
Kane, meanwhile, took home the men’s award following an outstanding 2025/26 campaign, during which he helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, while also guiding England to a third-place finish at the World Cup.
DEMBÉLÉ AND RODRI WIN PRAISE FOR THEIR REACTIONS
The ceremony at London’s Palladium Theatre brought together some of football’s biggest stars, with several of Kane’s Bayern Munich teammates among the first to congratulate him.
Footage showing the reactions of former Ballon d’Or winners Dembélé and Rodri quickly attracted attention online.
Both players stood up to embrace and congratulate Kane after his victory, earning praise from supporters for their sportsmanship.
However, some viewers also noticed Dembélé appearing to glance towards Kylian Mbappé, who finished second in the voting, prompting fans to speculate about what the Frenchman might have been thinking.
One supporter joked: “Dembélé checking Mbappé like, ‘How you feel now, bro?’”
Another praised Rodri, writing: “See how happy Rodri is. That is a sportsman.”
Others were more sympathetic towards Mbappé, suggesting that although he appeared disappointed, he was trying to control his emotions after missing out on the award.
Some viewers also pointed out that Lamine Yamal remained seated while applauding Kane, sparking further discussion about the different reactions inside the venue.
DEMBÉLÉ ALSO CELEBRATED PSG’S SUCCESS
Although Dembélé missed out on retaining his individual crown, he still had a reason to celebrate during the ceremony.
The French forward accepted the Men’s Club of the Year award on behalf of Paris Saint-Germain, acknowledging the unity and collective spirit that had contributed to the club’s success.
He praised the team for standing together and working towards bringing happiness to their supporters, while also recognising the attention they receive from neutrals and rival fans.
KANE TAKES CENTRE STAGE
Kane’s triumph placed him ahead of Mbappé and Yamal, who completed the top three in the men’s rankings.
Mbappé enjoyed an impressive individual season with Real Madrid, scoring 42 goals, while Yamal continued to establish himself among football’s brightest young talents.
Nevertheless, it was Kane who emerged as the biggest winner of the evening, with the reactions of fellow football stars adding another talking point to an already memorable ceremony.
What do you think of Dembélé and Rodri’s reactions to Kane’s victory? 👇
