Harry Kane Makes Ballon d’Or History as England Ends 25-Year Wait

Harry Kane has become the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d’Or after beating Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to claim football’s most prestigious individual award.

The Bayern Munich striker was crowned the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner at a star-studded ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday.

This victory ended England’s long wait for another winner since Michael Owen claimed the award in 2001.

Kane was rewarded for a remarkable season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country.

The 33-year-old starred for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and Champions League, and helped England reach the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The award, organised by French magazine France Football, is decided by 100 journalists from around the world, who rank their top 10 players from a 30-man shortlist.

Kane’s victory makes him only the fifth English player to win the prestigious honour and the sixth time an Englishman has claimed the award, following

1. Stanley Matthews,
2. Bobby Charlton,
3. Kevin Keegan,
4. Michael Owen and
5. now the former Tottenham Hotspur captain, Harry Kane.

Kane Breaks England’s 25-Year Ballon d’Or Drought

Kane’s triumph marks a significant moment for English football, which had not produced a Ballon d’Or winner since Owen’s success in 2001.

The England captain joins an exclusive list of English players to have won the award since its introduction in 1956.

English Ballon d’Or Winners

Kane succeeds Ousmane Dembélé, who won the award in 2025, and Rodri, the 2024 winner.

For much of the past two decades, the Ballon d’Or was dominated by Lionel Messi (8) and Cristiano Ronaldo (5), who have won the award eight and five times respectively.

Kane’s victory represents another change in the award’s recent history, with a new name joining football’s most exclusive individual honours list.

The Ballon d’Or is widely regarded as one of the highest individual honours in football, alongside FIFA’s The Best award.

‘Being in London, It Is Extra Special’ - Harry Kane

Speaking after receiving the award, Kane admitted that winning the Ballon d’Or in London made the occasion even more meaningful.

"Being in London, it is extra special, it felt like a good omen," an emotional Kane said onstage.

"Thank you to everyone who voted for me, I can imagine it was tough, so thank you."

The striker also thanked the people and clubs that had supported him throughout his career, including England, Bayern Munich and his former club Tottenham Hotspur.

However, his most emotional moment came when he addressed his wife, Kate, whom he described as his best friend and biggest source of support.

"To my wife Kate, my best friend. We've been through ups and downs. You are my biggest support and I felt like you wanted this more than me."

"The anxious wait; here it is, we've done it and you always want the best for me. You sacrifice yourself to make me achieve my dreams."

"This wouldn't be possible without you and it is something we can celebrate, not me."

"We're a team. I can't wait to celebrate tonight."

"I love you."

Kane also used his acceptance speech to encourage young footballers to continue pursuing their dreams, pointing to the difficult path he had taken before reaching the top of the game.

"It's just the journey. For any young boy or girl who wants to achieve their dream, anything is possible."

"I hope my journey, it wasn't straightforward, I didn't go straight to the top, I had to experience a lot of loan moves and fight my way to get to where I am now."

"I hope that can give you inspiration, and thank you very much."

The striker reflected on a career that required patience and persistence, having spent time on several loan spells before establishing himself as one of the world's leading forwards.

Mbappé and Yamal Miss Out Despite Remarkable Seasons

Kane's victory came at the expense of two of the leading names in world football, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.

Mbappé finished second after another prolific campaign, while Yamal took third place following his performances for Barcelona and Spain.

The French forward enjoyed a historic World Cup, scoring 10 goals at the tournament and taking his overall World Cup tally to 22, making him the competition's all-time leading scorer.

Despite his individual achievements, Mbappé was unable to finish ahead of Kane in the final Ballon d’Or standings.

Yamal, meanwhile, was rewarded for his impressive performances for Barcelona in LaLiga and Spain at the World Cup, although he could not claim the main individual prize.

The three leading contenders were also at the centre of an unusual incident before the ceremony, when the official Ballon d’Or website reportedly listed Kane, Mbappé and Yamal as winners hours before the event.

The ceremony was subsequently delayed by 30 minutes, with the event scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m.

More than two hours later, Kane was finally presented with the 70th Ballon d’Or amid loud cheers and chants of his name at the London Palladium.

The moment came shortly after Barcelona and Spain star Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d’Or for a third time.

Harry Kane Finishes Ahead of Messi, Rodri and Haaland

Kane topped a competitive final ranking that included several of the biggest names in world football.

Mbappé finished second, followed by Yamal in third place.

Rodri, who previously played for Manchester City before moving to Barcelona, finished fourth, while eight-time winner, Lionel Messi placed fifth.

Paris Saint-Germain winger, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished sixth, followed by reigning 2025 winner Ousmane Dembélé in seventh.

Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland finished eighth, with Bayern Munich's Michael Olise ninth and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabián Ruiz completing the top 10.

Men's Ballon d'Or 2026: Top 10

The rankings is a the votes of the 100 journalists who made up the Ballon d’Or jury.

Each journalist selected 10 players in order from the 30-man shortlist, with points awarded according to their positions.

The player with the highest overall points total was declared the winner.

Yamal Wins Young Player Award

Although Yamal missed out on the main prize, the Barcelona youngster left the ceremony with the Men's Young Player of the Year award.

The Spain international enjoyed an impressive season for Barcelona in LaLiga and played a key role for his country at the World Cup.

However, Yamal used his acceptance speech to praise his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí, suggesting that the young defender also deserved recognition.

"I'd have liked it to be [teammate Pau] Cubarsi," Yamal said during a brief speech.

"This prize should have been for him. He deserves it."

His comments offered a glimpse of the relationship between the Barcelona youngsters, even as Yamal continued to attract attention for his own performances at club and international level.

Spain Dominate Other Awards

Spain also enjoyed success in the coaching and goalkeeping categories.

Luis de la Fuente was named Coach of the Year after guiding Spain to the World Cup.

And Spain first-choice goalkeeper, Unai Simón, received the Men's Goalkeeper of the Year award.

The honours added to Spain's successful night, although the main men's prize ultimately went to Kane after his outstanding individual campaign.

Kane Joins Football's Elite

Kane's Ballon d’Or triumph places him alongside some of the most celebrated players in football history.

For England, it ends a 25-year wait for a winner and provides another major milestone in the career of a striker who has spent years chasing individual and team honours.

His 73 goals for club and country, combined with his performances for Bayern Munich and England, proved decisive in a contest that featured Mbappé's World Cup scoring record and Yamal's emergence as one of the game's brightest young talents.

The victory also adds another chapter to the Ballon d’Or's history, which has been shaped by the long-running rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo and, more recently, by a changing group of contenders.

For Kane, however, the achievement carries a personal meaning beyond the statistics, and by becoming the first Englishman since Owen in 2001 to win the Ballon d’Or, Kane has ended one of the longest waits in English football's modern award history.