England forward Harry Kane has won the Ballon d’Or, ending a long wait for football’s highest individual honour and becoming the first Englishman to claim the award since Michael Owen in 2001.
The Bayern Munich striker, 33, received the trophy at a ceremony in London on Monday after the most prolific season of his career. He scored 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern across all competitions as the club also won the Bundesliga and German Cup double.
Including his international goals, he finished the campaign with 73.
Kane also played a central role for England at the World Cup, scoring six goals as the team reached the semi-finals.
“Wow, wow, wow! I am almost speechless,” Kane said on stage.
“Being here in London made it extra special, and a good omen for me tonight. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was tough this year.”
Competition for the award was strong. Kylian Mbappé broke World Cup scoring records and Lamine Yamal helped Spain win the tournament. Voters ultimately favoured Kane for his consistency across the entire season.
The win caps a career that began with several loan spells at Tottenham Hotspur. Kane is now England’s all-time leading scorer and their record World Cup goalscorer, and his move to Bayern in 2023 brought the major trophies that had previously eluded him.
In the women’s category, Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d’Or Féminin for the third time after Barcelona’s treble-winning 2025-26 campaign. She joined London City Lionesses in July after 14 years at Barcelona.
