Harry Kane has been crowned the world's best footballer after winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Englishman to claim the prestigious award since Michael Owen in 2001.
The 33-year-old Bayern Munich and England striker received the honour at a star-studded ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday night, capping a record-breaking season in which he scored an extraordinary 73 goals in 65 matches for club and country.
Kane finished ahead of Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe in second place and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in third. He also collected the Men's Striker of the Year award (Gerd Muller Trophy) on the night.
A historic season of goalscoring
Kane's 2025/26 campaign was defined by relentless goalscoring. He netted 61 times in 51 club appearances for Bayern Munich – the most goals a player has scored in a single season for the club. This included 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga matches (making him the league's top scorer for the third consecutive season), 14 goals in the Champions League, and 10 goals in the DFB-Pokal.
Those numbers helped Bayern secure a domestic treble of the Bundesliga, German Cup and Super Cup. Kane also contributed strongly for England, scoring 12 international goals (including six at the World Cup) as the Three Lions reached the semi-finals and finished third – their best performance at a World Cup since 1966.
His overall tally of 73 goals stands as one of the highest single-season totals in the modern era, second only to Lionel Messi's 82 in 2011/12 among players in Europe's top leagues and major tournaments.
Ending a long English drought
Kane becomes only the fifth English player to win the Ballon d'Or, joining Sir Stanley Matthews (1956), Sir Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979) and Michael Owen (2001). He is also the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.
Speaking after receiving the trophy, an emotional Kane said : “Wow, wow, wow! I am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special. Thank you to everyone who voted for me – I can imagine it was tough this year.”
A career milestone
The victory marks a personal milestone for a player long regarded as one of the finest pure strikers of his generation. After years of near-misses and a trophy drought at Tottenham Hotspur, Kane's move to Bayern in 2023 unlocked the silverware and the individual recognition that had previously eluded him.
At 33, Kane has now added the ultimate individual prize to a career that already includes England's all-time goalscoring record and consistent excellence at the highest level. The Ballon d'Or confirms what many observers have long argued: in a season of exceptional scoring and leadership for both club and country, Harry Kane was simply the best.