Ballon d’Or 2026: Harry Kane Becomes First English Winner in 25 Years
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or in London, beating Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to become the first Englishman to win the award since 2001.
Kane Crowned in London
Harry Kane has won the 70th Ballon d’Or. The award ceremony took place at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26. Kane beat Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to win football’s biggest individual prize, and he received loud cheers from the crowd as he went on stage.
Kane is the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001. He takes over from last year’s winner, Ousmane Dembele.
A Special Night for England
This was the first time the Ballon d’Or ceremony was held in the United Kingdom. Organisers chose London to honour England’s Stanley Matthews, who won the very first Ballon d’Or in 1956. That made Kane’s win even more special.
The award is run by France Football magazine. The winner is chosen by a vote of 100 journalists from around the world. The ceremony started 30 minutes late and was hosted by Thierry Henry and Kate Scott.
A Record-Breaking Season
Kane had an outstanding 2025-26 season. He helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga and the German Cup. He also won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 Bundesliga goals.
At the 2026 World Cup, Kane captained England and scored six goals with one assist. England lost to Argentina in the semi-finals but then beat France 6-4 in the third-place match.
Kane is also the first foreign player to win the Ballon d’Or while playing for Bayern Munich, and the club’s fourth winner overall.
Putellas Wins Women’s Award
In the women’s category, Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d’Or for the third time. She was presented with the award just minutes before Kane received his trophy.