England captain Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or for the first time on Monday, becoming the first English player to receive the prestigious football award since 2001.
The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker was honored at a ceremony at the London Palladium after scoring 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country last season.
The Ballon d’Or, awarded by French magazine France Football, is one of football’s most prestigious individual honors, recognizing the world’s best players.
The last English player to win the award was former Liverpool striker Michael Owen, who claimed the prize 25 years ago.
Why did Harry Kane win the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Kane’s remarkable goalscoring record helped Bayern Munich secure a German league and cup double last season.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward also led England to the World Cup semifinals, the country’s best finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
Kane has finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for three consecutive seasons. He was also Europe’s top club goalscorer during the 2025-26 campaign.
At Monday’s ceremony, Kane thanked his Bayern Munich teammates for their support.
“Without you guys (his Bayern Munich team-mates) and the rest of the team it wouldn’t be possible, the way you guys push me, the way we compete. So thank you very much,” he said.
Kane faced strong competition from Barcelona’s Spanish teenager Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s French forward Kylian Mbappe.
He joins Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen among the English players to have won the award.
Minutes earlier, Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas had claimed the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time in her career.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
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