England captain Harry Kane has ended his country’s 25-year wait for football’s most prestigious individual honour after winning the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or.
The Bayern Munich striker was crowned the world’s best men’s footballer at a star-studded ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, beating Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to the coveted prize.
The 33-year-old’s victory makes him the first Englishman to win the award since former Liverpool striker Michael Owen claimed it in 2001. He becomes only the fifth Englishman to receive the honour since its introduction in 1956.
Kane’s triumph followed a remarkable 2025/2026 campaign in which he scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for Bayern and England, underlining his status as one of the most lethal forwards in world football.
His goals helped Bayern secure the Bundesliga title, the German Cup and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, while his performances for England further strengthened his case for the award.
The striker also finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for the third consecutive season and netted 14 goals in the UEFA Champions League as Bayern reached the semi-finals.
Kane’s achievement is particularly significant given his previous struggles to break into the top positions in the Ballon d’Or rankings. Before Monday’s ceremony, his highest finish had been 10th.
He also claimed the Gerd Müller Trophy for the best men’s goalscorer, adding another major individual honour to an already outstanding season.
In the final rankings, Mbappe finished second, while Yamal took third place. Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Rodri came fourth, with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi rounding out the top five.
The ceremony marked the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or, which was first awarded in 1956 to England’s Sir Stanley Matthews. London hosted the event for the first time, with the venue choice paying tribute to the award’s inaugural winner.
In the women’s category, Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time, having previously claimed the prize in 2021 and 2022.
Yamal also won the men’s Young Talent of the Year award, while Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón received the men’s Goalkeeper of the Year honour. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was named men’s Coach of the Year.
Paris Saint-Germain won the men’s Club of the Year award, while Barcelona took the women’s equivalent. Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka received the Sócrates Award for his humanitarian work and social initiatives.
The Ballon d’Or, organised by France Football in partnership with UEFA, recognises the outstanding individual performances of players over the assessment period.
Kane’s victory places him among the select group of English footballers to have won the award, alongside Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.
