Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or, England's first in 25 years, at London ceremony
The Bayern Munich striker's 73-goal season earned him the award at the London Palladium, edging Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal in what the host called the closest race in years.
Harry Kane is the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner — England's first in 25 years — after being honoured at the London Palladium on Monday, with his 73-goal haul for club and country last season proving enough to edge Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal in what the ceremony's host described as the closest race in years.
The last English player to win the award from French magazine France Football was Michael Owen in 2001. Kane, 33, claimed it on home soil after a season in which he helped Bayern Munich to a Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double while also contributing strongly for England.
The ceremony itself was notable for two firsts: it was held outside France for the first time in the award's history, and it took place in London specifically to mark the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d'Or and to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the English legend who won the inaugural award in 1956, according to CBS Sports.
the closest race in years— Kate Scott, ceremony host
Beyond the top three, the full ranking of all 30 men's nominees placed Erling Haaland and Michael Olise fourth and fifth, with former winners Lionel Messi, Rodri, and Ousmane Dembélé also in the top group. Jude Bellingham was the first player outside that initial cluster, while Vitinha's 14th-place finish and Vinicius Jr.'s fall to 17th drew attention. Arsenal centre-backs Gabriel and William Saliba were both placed in the bottom ten of the nominated players, according to Sporting News.
Yamal, 19, had been a strong contender throughout the year and finished second to PSG's Ousmane Dembélé at last year's ceremony. He fell short of becoming the youngest ever Ballon d'Or winner after failing to produce his best form during Spain's World Cup campaign, according to Yahoo Sports.
On the women's side, Spain and Barcelona's Alexia Putellas won her third career Ballon d'Or, becoming only the second player to reach that milestone alongside her Spain teammate Aitana Bonmati. Between them, the two have won each of the last six women's Ballon d'Or trophies. Poland's Ewa Pajor of Barcelona finished second, above Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw of Manchester City, who many had expected to be Putellas's main challenger, according to Sporting News.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees on the men's side included 30 players from clubs across Europe and beyond. The voting system is based on three factors — individual performances, team achievements, and career — with a panel of 100 sports journalists each selecting their top 10 picks, with points awarded by finishing position, according to CBS Sports.
Why it matters — Kane's win ends a 25-year wait for an English Ballon d'Or and marks the first time the ceremony has left France, signalling a broader shift in how football's most prestigious individual prize is presented to a global audience.
⚠ Not yet confirmed
- Mbappé finished second and Yamal third (rather than the reverse).
- specific order of Mbappé second and Yamal third (sources confirm top three but not exact ranking between them)
Reported by yahoo.com, cbssports.com, sportingnews.com
