Harry Kane Awarded 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or

Post By Emmie
October 27, 2026

Bayern Munich striker and England captain Harry Kane has won the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, ending a quarter-century drought for English football.

The 33-year-old was presented with the prestigious award by France Football at a ceremony in London. Kane now joins an elite list of English Ballon d'Or recipients alongside Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan, and Owen. Michael Owen was the last English player to receive the honor in 2001.

Kane claimed the award ahead of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal. His victory capped off a season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country across all competitions, helping Bayern Munich secure a domestic treble, retaining their Bundesliga title while finishing as the league's top scorer for the third consecutive year, and reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Kane was also awarded the Men's Striker of the Year award.

Accepting the award on stage, an emotional Kane reflected on his career:

"Wow, I'm almost speechless. First of all, thanks again to France Football and the Ballon d'Or for this amazing event. Being in London, it is extra special; it felt like a good omen."

"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."

Speaking at a post-ceremony press conference, Kane credited his teammates with providing the foundation for his individual success:

"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."

"I'm lucky and blessed to be surrounded by incredible players, incredible people, both with the national team and with Bayern Munich. When you have players like Michael (Olise) around you, Lucho (Luis Diaz) and these guys, Bukayo (Saka) and Jude (Bellingham) and all the top, top players assisting me and putting me in positions and dragging defenders away, they obviously allow me to then express myself. As much as this is an individual award, I'll give thanks to them because it wouldn't be possible without any of them and that's what makes a team."

The 70th anniversary edition of the Ballon d'Or marked the first time the event was hosted in London. Co-organized by France Football and UEFA, the location was selected to pay tribute to inaugural 1956 winner Sir Stanley Matthews. The start of the ceremony was delayed by 45 minutes due to local traffic conditions, following confusion earlier in the day when three separate articles naming Kane, Yamal, and Mbappé as winner were published on the Ballon d'Or website.

Several other awards were presented during the evening: