Harry Kane Wins Ballon d'Or, Ending England's 25-Year Wait
Seven Lights
Harry Kane was named the Ballon d’Or winner for 2026 on Monday, the first Englishman to win football’s most prestigious individual trophy in 25 years, since Michael Owen in 2001.
Kane’s name was read from the final envelope two hours into the ceremony at the London Palladium, drawing wild cheers in the auditorium. The L’Équipe-sponsored award is decided by a vote of journalists and football administrators. In the men’s polling, Kane finished ahead of the co-favourites Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid.
The award caps a season in which the 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker won the European Golden Boot, played a major role in Bayern’s Bundesliga title and captained England to a World Cup semi-final. He has scored 89 goals for club and country since the start of August 2025. He also received the Gerd Müller Trophy, given to the year’s leading striker.
“It was really tough this year, the incredible players I was up against,” Kane said on receiving the trophy. “I am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special.”
Kane is the first winner playing in the Bundesliga since Matthias Sammer in 1996. Bayern paid a record 100 million euros up front to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur three years ago, when he was 30; the club has since regarded the outlay as fully vindicated.
Moments earlier, Alexia Putellas of the London City Lionesses won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time, five years after her first, won in Barcelona’s colours. Other honours went to Yamal, who took the Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21; Unai Simón, whose Yashin Trophy recognised the year’s best goalkeeper; Luis de la Fuente, winner of the Johan Cruyff Trophy for coaching; Paris Saint-Germain, named men’s club of the year; and Bukayo Saka, who received the Sócrates Award for humanitarian work.
The Wembley Stadium arch was lit gold in Kane’s honour on Monday night. For England, whose only other men’s Ballon d’Or winners are Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore and Owen, the result closes a quarter-century wait that Kane’s goals at club and international level had made unavoidable.