Harry Kane wins the Ballon d'Or, the first Englishman to do so since Michael Owen in 2001
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or in London after a 73-goal season, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Alexia Putellas won the women's award for the third time.
Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious individual award, at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday evening, 26 October. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich and England striker is the first English player to win it since Michael Owen in 2001, and only the fifth in total, after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.
Kane scored 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern last season, the most by a Bayern player in a single campaign, and 73 goals in 65 games including his matches for England, whom he led to the World Cup semi-finals, according to BBC Sport. The award is organised by France Football magazine and voted on by 100 journalists from around the world.
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé, who became the top scorer in World Cup history this summer, finished second, and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, a World Cup winner with Spain, was third. Rodri, Lionel Messi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Michael Olise and Fabián Ruiz completed the top ten.
"I am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special," Kane said on stage. The evening had a chaotic start: the top three were published on the official website hours before the ceremony, which then began 30 minutes late.
Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or for the third time. Yamal and Vicky López took the young player awards, Spain's Luis de la Fuente was named men's coach of the year, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona won the club awards, and Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Award for his charity work.