England captain Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award, following an outstanding season with Bayern Munich and the English national team.
The 33-year-old striker received the award at a ceremony held in London on October 26, finishing ahead of French forward Kylian Mbappé and Spanish teenager Lamine Yamal.
The victory marks Kane’s first Ballon d’Or triumph and ends England’s 25-year wait for a winner, following Michael Owen’s success in 2001.
Kane scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025–26 campaign, including 61 for Bayern Munich.
His prolific scoring helped the German side secure the Bundesliga title, the German Cup and the German Super Cup. He also scored 14 goals in the UEFA Champions League as Bayern reached the semi-finals.
On the international stage, Kane played a key role in England’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring six goals as the national team finished third.
His performances across the season strengthened his position among the leading forwards in world football and earned him recognition from the international voting panel.
Kane becomes the fifth Englishman to win the men’s Ballon d’Or, joining Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural award in 1956; Bobby Charlton, honoured in 1966; Kevin Keegan, who claimed the prize in 1978 and 1979; and Owen, who won in 2001.
The 2026 ceremony was held in London to mark the award’s 70th anniversary and honour its inaugural winner, Matthews. Kane also received the season’s men’s striker award, recognising his exceptional goalscoring record for Bayern and England.
His achievement represents a major milestone in a career that has seen him become one of England’s most prolific goalscorers and a central figure for Bayern Munich.
The award recognises both his individual scoring output and his contribution to his teams’ success during the 2025–26 season.