Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or at a ceremony at the Palladium Theatre in London, becoming the first Englishman to claim the trophy in 25 years. Kane finished ahead of co-favourites Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid after voting by journalists and administrators for the L’Equipe-sponsored award. The win capped a year in which Kane won the European Golden Boot, helped Bayern Munich secure the Bundesliga title, captained England to a World Cup semi-final, and scored 89 goals for club and country since August 2025. Bayern paid an initial €100m for Kane three years ago, a transfer the Guardian says is now vindicated by his all-round game and professionalism. Receiving the trophy, Kane said “It was really tough this year, the incredible players I was up against,” and thanked teammates and colleagues as the auditorium erupted in cheers. The award also followed Kane equalling England’s caps record and taking his international tally to 91 goals in 125 appearances; at 33 he remains England’s captain with the home Euros in two years on his agenda. Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a third time earlier in the ceremony.
