Harry Kane has become the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the Ballon d’Or, beating Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to football’s most prestigious individual award.
The Bayern Munich striker was announced as the 2026 winner at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday, completing a remarkable season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country.
The 33-year-old played a central role in Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga and Champions League campaigns and helped England reach the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Kane is the fifth English player to receive the award and the sixth occasion on which an Englishman has won it, following Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen. He is also the former Tottenham Hotspur captain.
Kane beats Mbappe and Yamal
Kane’s success ends England’s 25-year wait for a Ballon d’Or winner and adds his name to an honour first introduced in 1956.
He succeeds Ousmane Dembele, who won in 2025, and Rodri, the 2024 winner. The award was dominated for much of the past two decades by Lionel Messi, who has won it eight times, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five victories.
Mbappe finished second after another prolific season. The France forward scored 10 goals at the World Cup, taking his total in the competition to 22 and making him its all-time leading scorer.
Yamal finished third after an impressive campaign with Barcelona and Spain. He also received the Men’s Young Player of the Year award, while using his speech to say his Barcelona team-mate Pau Cubarsi deserved recognition.
The three leading contenders were involved in an unusual pre-ceremony incident after the official Ballon d’Or website reportedly listed all three as winners several hours before the event. The ceremony, scheduled for 8:30 p.m., was delayed by 30 minutes. More than two hours later, Kane was presented with the 70th Ballon d’Or as the London Palladium echoed to cheers and chants of his name.
Barcelona and Spain forward Alexia Putellas had shortly beforehand won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a third time.
Kane’s emotional speech
Kane said winning in London made the occasion “extra special” and thanked England, Bayern Munich and former club Tottenham Hotspur for their support.
He reserved his most emotional words for his wife, Kate, describing her as his best friend and greatest source of support. Kane also encouraged young players to pursue their ambitions, reflecting on the patience and persistence required during his own career, including several loan spells before he established himself among the world’s leading forwards.
Rodri finished fourth, with eight-time winner Messi fifth. Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was sixth, Dembele seventh and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland eighth. Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise finished ninth, while Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz completed the top 10.
The rankings were decided by 100 journalists, each selecting 10 players from the 30-man shortlist. Points were awarded according to each player’s position, with the highest total winning.
Spain’s Luis de la Fuente was named Coach of the Year after guiding his side to the World Cup, while goalkeeper Unai Simon won the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Kane’s victory places him among football’s elite and ends one of the longest waits in English football’s modern award history.