Harry Kane has been crowned the world’s best footballer after winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or at a glittering ceremony in London on Monday night, becoming the first Englishman to claim the prestigious award in 25 years.
The Bayern Munich striker beat Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to football’s biggest individual prize, capping off an extraordinary campaign for club and country.
The 33-year-old’s triumph comes after a remarkable 2025/26 season in which he scored an astonishing 73 goals in 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and England, including 61 for the German giants and 12 for the Three Lions.
His extraordinary goalscoring exploits helped Bayern secure a domestic treble, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup, while also reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
Kane finished as the Bundesliga’s leading goalscorer for the third consecutive season and netted 14 Champions League goals, further cementing his reputation as one of the most complete strikers in world football.
The England captain also played a key role in his country’s run to the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, where the Three Lions eventually finished third.
Kane’s victory is particularly significant given his long journey to the top, having spent the majority of his career at Tottenham Hotspur before moving to Bayern Munich in 2023.
After years of individual brilliance without major silverware, the former Spurs striker has now added football’s most prestigious personal accolade to his growing collection of trophies.
During his acceptance speech, Kane paid tribute to Tottenham for helping shape his career, acknowledging the club’s role in his development from a young academy player into one of the world’s greatest strikers.
He also collected the Gerd Müller Trophy for Men’s Striker of the Year, completing a memorable evening in the English capital.
Mbappe finished second in the Ballon d’Or voting, with Yamal third. The Barcelona youngster did, however, collect the Men’s Young Talent of the Year award for the third consecutive time.
Meanwhile, Alexia Putellas claimed the Women’s Ballon d’Or, while Spain’s World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente was named Men’s Coach of the Year.
For Kane, though, the night belonged to him.
After years of chasing football’s biggest honours, the England captain has finally reached the summit of the individual game, cementing his place among the greatest players of his generation.
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