While FC Barcelona captain Raphinha was absent from the 2026 Ballon d’Or Gala at the London Palladium, he made the biggest statement of the week on social media. Hours after Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or for 2026 over Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, Raphinha was seen liking a viral post on Instagram highlighting how the voting rules constantly change and how the 2025/26 Kane performances are similar to his 2024/25 campaign that saw him fall to fifth place.
The Viral Post
After Raphinha fell to fifth place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, it was widely believed that players who lose at the semi-final stage of the Champions League would never win the Ballon d’Or.
However Kane defied this rule 12 months later with Raphinha liking this statement:
- "Harry Kane has won the Ballon d’Or for the same reason that Raphinha was fifth last year.
- Raphinha won the treble domestically and Spain are a much tougher league than Germany.
- Raphinha got knocked out of the Champions League at the semis, like Kane but he was top scorer and top assister in the competition.
- Kane is a brilliant player but why wasn’t this applied to Raphinha. If it is about scoring goals then just say so."
By liking this post, Raphinha confirmed what every Culer knows. He is still hurting from 2025 and it is impossible to ignore how the rules have changed.
A clear double standard
Nobody is disputing that Kane had a poor season. Scoring 61 goals in 51 club games and 73 goals in 65 games overall for Bayern Munich is remarkable. However, when comparing Raphinha’s 2024/25 season under Hansi Flick to Kane’s 2025/26 it becomes apparent that Kane was given preferential treatment.
Metric | Raphinha (2024/25 Season) | Harry Kane (2025/26 Season) |
|---|---|---|
Club Trophies Won | Domestic Treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa) | Domestic Treble (Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, Supercup) |
Domestic Competition | Beat Real Madrid & Atlético Madrid across all 3 competitions | Won a one-horse Bundesliga race with Bayern Munich |
UCL Stage Reached | Semi-finals | Semi |
UCL Individual Ranks | 1st in Goals (13) & 1st in Assists (9) | 1st in Goals (14), 0 Knock-out Semifinal Assists |
Club Goal Contributions | 57 (34 Goals, 23 Assists) | 68 (61 Goals, 7 Assists) |
Ballon d'Or Finish | 5th Place | 1st Place (Winner) |
Raphinha had an incredible season in 2024/25, destroying the league and also performing heroics against Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid winning all 3 domestic competitions. He also was the top scorer and assist provider in the Champions League, however due to Barcelona losing the Champions league semi finals, he was not even considered for the three man shortlist.
This year Kane has won the same 3 domestic trophies in Germany, where Bayern Munich have a huge financial and structural advantage. He was also knocked out of the Champions League at the semis like Raphinha. However, due to England finishing third at the 2026 World Cup Kane received a boost in narrative over the summer. However, very rarely has having bronze medals at the World Cup helped people win the Ballon d’Or over losing in the Champions League unless they are a known favourite.
If it is purely about scoring goals then stop hiding behind that facade.
The frustration isn’t towards Kane but the fact that the Ballon d’Or changes it’s rules every October.
When a La Masia star or Barça forward put up incredible two-way stats and win domestic silverware in Spain, people suddenly care about winning trophies with their team in Europe. But when a Premier League legend scores lots of penalties and tap ins in the Bundesliga and gets knocked out in the Champions League, it is all about goals.
Even with Lamine Yamal finishing third despite winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain, La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup and contributing 45 goals, there was still clear double standards at the London Palladium. If the Ballon d’Or has turned into a European Golden Shoe in disguise then France Football should be upfront about it, rather than changing the rules based on the badge they wear.
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