Harry Kane Wins the Ballon d'Or

73 goals for Bayern and England, and the first English winner in 25 years. London crowned its captain.

London, October 26, 2026

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday night at the London Palladium, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. He becomes the first Englishman to lift it since Michael Owen in 2001, and only the fifth ever, after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.

The 70th ceremony left Paris for London, and Kane felt it: “Being here in London has made it extra special.”

The Numbers Behind the Vote

Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England last season. The same night he also collected the Gerd Müller Trophy, the award for the season’s best goalscorer. Bayern’s year shows further down the list too: Michael Olise finished ninth.

He spoke to England as much as to Munich: “It was truly an honor to captain England, to lead you. This one is for all of you, for sure.”

The Top Five

• 1. Harry Kane Bayern Munich and England
• 2. Kylian Mbappé Real Madrid and France
• 3. Lamine Yamal Barcelona and Spain
• 4. Rodri Spain
• 5. Lionel Messi Inter Miami and Argentina

The Rest of the Night

Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a third time, after 2021 and 2022. Yamal took the young player award for a third year in a row. And Paris Saint-Germain, back-to-back champions of Europe, won Club of the Year for the second year running. The chase for a third title starts now: here is why it will be so hard.

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