Harry Kane became the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the men's Ballon d'Or, claiming the top individual prize in football after a record-breaking season with Bayern Munich and England.
The 33-year-old forward received the award at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony at London’s Palladium on Monday, 26 October. He beat out Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal.
Kane is the fifth Englishman to win the men's award after Stanley Matthews in 1956, Bobby Charlton in 1966, Kevin Keegan in 1978 and 1979 and Owen in 2001.
The win follows a season in which he scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern and added 12 goals in 14 appearances for England, taking his tally to 73 goals in 65 matches.
The England captain helped Bayern to the Bundesliga and the German Cup, as well as the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. He also finished as the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 36 goals and netted 14 times in the Champions League.
Kane’s 61 goals obliterated Bayern’s single-season scoring record, shattering the benchmark previously held in the club’s prolific attacking history. His performances also won him the European Golden Shoe, awarded to the top league scorer in Europe.
This season, Kane’s contributions went beyond just goals, even with his personal success. He took England to third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring six goals in the tournament. In the meantime, Bayern reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Speaking after collecting the award, Kane reflected on the difficulties he faced at the start of his career and the effort required to reach the very top.
He said he had not always seen himself as a future superstar and spoke about the importance of patience, determination and self-belief in overcoming setbacks.
England boss Thomas Tuchel was glad to see the recognition arrive, and he hailed the performances and leadership of Kane. Kane’s achievement also sees Bayern return to the top of the men’s Ballon d’Or rankings for the first time since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge won in 1981.”
Kane’s best previous finish in the voting was 10th. His rise to the top of the rankings is a significant milestone for a player who has combined consistent goalscoring success with a long search for major team honours throughout his career.
His 2026 triumph brings an end to a 25-year wait for an English winner and adds another chapter to the Ballon d’Or’s history, which began with Matthews collecting the first award in 1956.
