RismadarVoice Reporters
October 26, 2026
Spain dominated the opening stages of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday, winning the first six awards presented as football’s leading players and coaches gathered for the prestigious event.
The ceremony, held at the London Palladium, marked the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or and its first staging in England.
Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal claimed the Men’s Young Talent of the Year award for the third consecutive year, extending his impressive run of individual recognition.
His Barcelona teammate Vicky López received the corresponding women’s award for the second successive year, completing an early double for the Spanish club.
Barcelona Women’s head coach Pere Romeu was subsequently named Women’s Coach of the Year following another successful campaign with the Catalan side.
Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente won the Men’s Coach of the Year award after guiding his country to victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Accepting the honour, De la Fuente credited his players, coaching staff and the Spanish football federation, stressing that the achievement reflected collective effort rather than individual success.
Spain’s dominance continued in the goalkeeping categories.
Barcelona goalkeeper Cata Coll received the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simón was named Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Both players expressed appreciation to their teammates, families and colleagues for contributing to their achievements.
The six consecutive victories highlighted Spain’s strong presence across men’s and women’s football during the awards ceremony.
Meanwhile, attention remained focused on the main Men’s Ballon d’Or award, with England captain Harry Kane among the leading contenders.
Kane was seeking to become the first English winner since Michael Owen claimed the award in 2001.
However, controversy emerged before the ceremony after the organisers’ website briefly published separate articles identifying Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Yamal as winners.
The conflicting articles were subsequently removed, and none constituted an official announcement of the award’s eventual recipient.
The 2026 ceremony also featured recognition for outstanding clubs, strikers and individuals contributing to football beyond the pitch.
Organised by France Football in partnership with UEFA, the awards recognise performances during the preceding football season.
At the stage covered by the live updates, the main men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or winners had not yet been announced.
