Harry Kane ends 25-year English wait to win 2026 Ballon d'Or

Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman to claim football’s most prestigious individual award since Michael Owen in 2001 after a record‑breaking 73‑goal season for Bayern Munich and England.

Record-breaking season

Kane scored 61 goals in 51 club matches—the most by any Bayern player in a single campaign—and added 12 more for England, finishing with 73 goals and eight assists in 65 appearances across all competitions. His haul helped Bayern retain the Bundesliga and win the German Cup, while he also led England to the World Cup semi‑finals.

He beat Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé (2nd) and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (3rd) to the prize, with Rodri (4th) and Lionel Messi (5th) completing the top five.

Kane’s emotional acceptance

“Wow, I’m almost speechless,” an emotional Kane said on stage at the London Palladium. “Being in London, it is extra special; it felt like a good omen.” He thanked France Football, England, Bayern and former club Tottenham, and told young players: “For any young boy or girl who wants to achieve their dream, anything is possible.”

In a later press conference, Kane added: “My heart was beating fast and I was just hoping that (Ronaldo, who presented the award) would say my name. It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”

Chaos before the announcement

Hours before the ceremony, the Ballon d’Or website accidentally published three separate articles naming Kane, Yamal and Mbappé as winners, before all three were taken down. Organisers said the pieces were pre‑written for all nominees and did not reveal the podium. The ceremony itself was delayed by 45 minutes to 8:45pm due to London traffic.

Tributes: Tuchel, Prince William, Carragher

England head coach Thomas Tuchel led the congratulations, calling it a “deserved Ballon d’Or” and praising Kane’s leadership. Prince William, patron of the FA, wrote on Instagram: “What a fantastic achievement and so deserved… A brilliant captain, a remarkable player.”

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said he was “absolutely delighted”, noting Kane’s move from Tottenham to Bayern was key to unlocking Champions League contention and Ballon d’Or recognition.

Full top 10

1. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
2. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)
3. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
4. Rodri (Barcelona/Man City, Spain)
5. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG, Georgia)
7. Ousmane Dembélé (PSG, France)
8. Erling Haaland (Man City, Norway)
9. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)
10. Fabián Ruiz (PSG, Spain)