Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or, first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001

Kane takes the men's prize

Harry Kane was named the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner at the ceremony in London on Monday evening, 26 October. The Bayern Munich striker and England captain won the award for the first time in his career. He is the first Englishman to take it since Michael Owen in 2001 and the fifth Englishman in the award's history, after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen. He is also the fourth-oldest player to win the award for the first time, following Matthews, Karim Benzema and Lev Yashin.

A season of goals

In 2025/26, Kane scored 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern, 19 more than any other player in the top five European leagues. That is the highest single-season tally since Cristiano Ronaldo scored 61 for Real Madrid in 2014/15. He scored 36 Bundesliga goals, which earned him the European Golden Shoe, and Bayern won the league, the DFB-Pokal and the German Super Cup. His 14 Champions League goals were the most by an English player in a single season in the competition's history since 1955, beating the 11 he scored in 2024/25. Kane also led England to the World Cup semi-finals, scoring six goals along the way.

2024/2511

2025/2614

2024/25

11 goals

2025/26

14 goals

Data from the article text

The men's top ten

France Football ranked Kane first, ahead of Kylian Mbappé in second and Lamine Yamal in third. Rodri placed fourth, Lionel Messi fifth, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sixth and Ousmane Dembélé, last year's winner, seventh. Erling Haaland was eighth, Michael Olise ninth and Fabián Ruiz tenth. Yamal also took the men's talent of the year award, while Luis de la Fuente was named the best men's coach for the Spanish national team and Unai Simón the best men's goalkeeper. Paris Saint-Germain won the men's team award.

Women's awards

Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or, her third time winning the award according to one report. Putellas left Barcelona for London last summer, after helping the club win all four major titles in the previous season, including the Champions League and the Spanish Supercup. Vicky López was named women's talent of the year, Pere Romeu was chosen as the best women's coach and Kata Coll as the best women's goalkeeper, while Barcelona took the women's team award. Charlin Corral of Mexico was named the best women's forward, becoming the first athlete from Mexico honoured at the ceremony.

The ceremony in London

The ceremony was held in London and organised by France Football, the magazine that runs the award. Its start was delayed by traffic in London, one report said. Before the ceremony, the winner was expected to be announced at 23:43. Kane's win capped a season in which he combined club and international success with individual honours.