By Ishmeal 
Ghanaian sports journalist Michael Oti Adjei has explained why he placed Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane ahead of Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal in his voting for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Oti Adjei, Ghana’s representative on the Ballon d’Or voting panel, ranked Mbappe first, Kane second and Yamal third in his personal top-three selection.
His decision came despite Harry Kane eventually winning the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, with Mbappe finishing second and Yamal placing third in the overall standings.
According to reports, Kane secured 1,055 points, narrowly beating Mbappe, who received 1,027 points. Yamal finished with 881 points.
Oti Adjei Explains His Choice
Explaining his decision to place Mbappe at the top of his ballot, Oti Adjei said he was convinced the Real Madrid forward had been the best player in the world based on his performances during the season.
He maintained that Mbappe’s overall contribution was enough to justify his first-place vote.
Oti’s ranking reflected his assessment of the players’ individual performances rather than the final outcome of the award.
Kane Wins 2026 Ballon d’Or
Harry Kane eventually claimed the prestigious award after an outstanding season with Bayern Munich and England.
The England captain’s performances, goalscoring record and contributions to his teams helped him secure the honour.
Mbappe finished just 28 points behind Kane, while Yamal completed the top three.
Oti Adjei’s full top 10 selection placed Lionel Messi fourth, followed by Ousmane Dembele, Declan Rice, Michael Olise, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes and Erling Haaland.
The Ghanaian journalist has been involved in the Ballon d’Or voting process since 2007, making him one of the country’s long-standing representatives on the international voting panel.
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