Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d’Or at London Palladium ceremony
Harry Kane Wins the 2026 Balón de Oro in London
Harry Kane claimed the 2026 Balón de Oro during the ceremony at the London Palladium. The award marked the 70th anniversary of the prize, which was established by France Football in 1956 to recognize the best football player of the year. Kane secured the honor following a dominant season with Bayern Munich and the England national team.
The English striker arrived in London alongside club executives after a 3–1 Bundesliga victory over Freiburg. Marca reported that confidence within the Bayern Munich delegation was high following Kane’s prolific campaign. The forward registered 73 goals across all competitions for club and country, averaging more than a goal per match.
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen spoke about the milestone ahead of the gala. “Harry sets new records year after year, but his 73 goals for the Bayern and the selection of England have a particular meaning this time,” Dreesen said, according to Marca.
Behind Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal completed the podium in second and third place. Mbappé secured his standing after finishing as the all-time World Cup top scorer with 10 goals in the 2026 tournament, bringing his career total to 22 goals. Lamine Yamal earned recognition after winning the best young player award for the previous two years and leading Barcelona to a La Liga title alongside a World Cup triumph with Spain.
Lionel Messi Finishes Fifth After a Heavy Schedule
Lionel Messi finished fifth in the final voting at 39 years old. The Inter Miami forward recorded 45 goals and 30 assists in 49 matches during the evaluated period, winning two trophies with his club while claiming the MLS MVP and top scorer awards, according to ESPN Argentina. Messi also captained Argentina to the World Cup final, where he scored eight goals and provided four assists to earn the tournament’s Silver Ball and Silver Boot.
Despite being listed among the nominees, Messi did not attend the ceremony in London. Marca noted that the Argentine forward maintained a heavy schedule that included traveling to Oviedo to receive the Princesa de Asturias Award, returning to the United States for an MLS fixture against the New York Red Bulls, and appearing at the Messi Cup.
Rounding out the upper tier of the 30-man nominee list, ESPN Argentina reported that Rodri finished fourth, while the top ten included Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Michael Olise, and Fabián Ruiz. Lautaro Martínez finished 22nd in the voting, and goalkeeper Dibu Martínez placed fifth for the Yashin Trophy.
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❤️ Harry Kane leaves London Palladium Theatre… in the best mood. 🌕✨ pic.twitter.com/n5QjQ04smA