England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English footballer in 25 years to receive the prestigious individual award.
The 33-year-old beat France international Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid, who finished second, and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to claim the honour at a ceremony held at the London Palladium on Monday.
The event marked the 70th anniversary of the award, with Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário presenting the trophy to Kane.
His victory comes after an outstanding campaign in which he scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions. His overall tally rose to 73 goals, alongside eight assists, in 65 appearances for club and country.
According to BBC Sport, Kane’s 61 goals for Bayern were 19 more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues managed during the season.
He also finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer with 36 goals, 17 ahead of his closest rival. In addition, he netted 14 times in the Champions League and scored 10 goals in the German Cup.
Despite his individual brilliance, Kane’s season ended without either of football’s biggest international and continental honours. Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, losing 6-5 on aggregate, while England suffered a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
Nevertheless, his remarkable goal-scoring record proved decisive in securing the Ballon d’Or, an award that has often favoured players who win major international or European trophies.
Kane becomes the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001. Other English winners include Stanley Matthews in 1956, Bobby Charlton in 1966, and Kevin Keegan, who won it in 1978 and 1979.
He is also the first Bayern Munich player to claim the honour since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge won it in 1981.
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Reacting to the achievement, Kane said he was almost speechless, adding that receiving the award in London made the occasion particularly special.
He thanked those who voted for him and acknowledged the quality of the other nominees, describing their performances as evidence of determination and the rewards of hard work.
England manager Thomas Tuchel also congratulated the striker, saying his performances had long deserved recognition from the football world.
Tuchel noted that Kane’s victory was especially significant because it ended England’s 25-year wait for another Ballon d’Or winner. He also praised the striker’s leadership of the national team.
Kane’s triumph represents a major milestone in a career that began at Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent more than a decade before moving to Bayern Munich in 2023.
Since joining the German club, he has won two Bundesliga titles, two Super Cups and one DFB-Pokal, further strengthening his reputation as one of the most prolific forwards of his generation.
His 73 goals for club and country last season place him among the highest single-season scorers in European football history. Only Lionel Messi, who scored 82 goals for Barcelona and Argentina in 2011-12, has recorded a higher tally among players from Europe’s top leagues, according to the report.