Kane ends England's 25-year Ballon d'Or wait

Harry Kane became the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001 after being crowned the world’s best player at a ceremony in London on October 26, 2026. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker is the fifth Englishman to claim the award, joining Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), and Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979). Other winners from the UK include Scotland's Denis Law (1964) and Northern Ireland's George Best (1968).

France's Kylian Mbappe finished second, while Spain's Lamine Yamal took third place. Kane remarked, "Not many people would have thought it, and maybe even I wouldn’t have thought I’d be this far. I had to go through many ups and downs, especially early in my career. I was never the person that people thought was going to be the superstar like some of the guys now. I had to bide my time and work hard, a lot of times it was me against my own mind and I had to come through it, I had to show self-belief, determination. I think that grounded me even when I did make it at the highest level to keep improving and keep getting better."

England manager Thomas Tuchel expressed his delight at Kane's award, calling it a "huge honour." Prince William stated that Kane was a "brilliant captain" and a "remarkable player." Last season, Kane scored 61 goals in 51 club matches, a record for a Bayern player in a season. Including his national team matches, he totalled 73 goals along with eight assists in 65 matches. He achieved this milestone despite not winning either the World Cup or the Champions League the previous season, having lost in both semi-finals. Kane also became the first Bayern player to win the Ballon d'Or since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

To celebrate Kane’s achievement, the Wembley arches were lit up in gold. Kane’s performance last season, which included being the Bundesliga's top scorer with 36 goals, set him apart from competitors. His total of 73 goals is among the best in history, with only Lionel Messi scoring more with 82 in the 2011-12 season.

Despite lifting the German double, the Ballon d'Or tends to favour players with major trophies. Kane's win constitutes the rare case of the accolade being awarded without the player having secured either the World Cup, the Champions League, or a European Championship/Copa America.

As Kane begins the current season strongly—with 10 goals in 12 games for Bayern and six goals in four Nations League matches for England—speculation surrounds his potential to retain the Ballon d'Or next year. He is in a good position as Bayern remains unbeaten in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.