Harry Kane has been crowned the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or winner, ending England’s 25-year wait for football’s most prestigious individual honour after a remarkable season with Bayern Munich and the national team.
The England captain was announced as the winner at Monday’s ceremony at the London Palladium, beating Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal to the award. He becomes the first Englishman to win it since Michael Owen in 2001 and only the fifth English player to claim the prize since its introduction in 1956.
Kane’s victory was built on an extraordinary 2025–26 campaign in which he scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country. His output included 61 goals for Bayern Munich and 12 for England, underlining his consistency at the highest level.
The 33-year-old played a central role in Bayern’s domestic success, helping the German giants secure the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal, while also winning the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. He finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for the third consecutive season, scoring 36 league goals, and netted 14 times in the Champions League as Bayern reached the semi-finals.
Kane’s achievements extended to the international stage, where he scored six goals as England finished third at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The result represented the national team’s best World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
Reacting to the award, Kane described the campaign as the best season of his career and acknowledged the contribution of those around him.
“It wouldn’t be possible without many people along the way,” he said, thanking his Bayern and England teammates, coaches and family. He also credited the competition and support within his Bayern squad for helping him reach another level.
The Ballon d’Or completes a significant personal milestone for a striker whose goalscoring achievements have often outpaced his team’s trophy haul. Kane left Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 as the club’s record scorer but without a major senior team trophy. His move to Germany has since brought domestic silverware and, now, the game’s highest individual award.
Kane also claimed the Gerd Müller Trophy for the best men’s striker, adding another honour to a night that recognised his prolific scoring record.
Mbappé finished second in the Ballon d’Or voting, with Yamal third. The Barcelona winger, however, won the men’s young-player award for the third consecutive year.
Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a third time, while other honours included Unai Simón as men’s goalkeeper of the year, Luis de la Fuente as men’s coach of the year and Paris Saint-Germain as men’s club of the year. Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka received the Sócrates Award for humanitarian work.
For Kane, the award is both recognition of a record-breaking season and a landmark for English football: a return to the top of the Ballon d’Or podium a quarter of a century after Owen’s triumph.
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