Harry Kane Wins 2026 Ballon d’Or: First Englishman Since Michael Owen
Harry Kane Wins the 2026 Ballon d’Or at London Ceremony
Harry Kane is the recipient of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, claiming the most prestigious individual honor in men’s football during Monday’s gala at the London Palladium, SportoweFakty reported. The England captain secured the award following a prolific 2025/26 campaign with Bayern Monachium and the English national team, outpolling runner-up Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid and third-place Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona.
The voting panel, organized by France Football and overseen by an international group of football journalists, placed Kane at the summit of the global game for the first time in his career. With the German club, Kane collected a domestic league and cup double while reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.
Previously, Kane had never finished inside the top ten of the voting.
Upon accepting the award, Kane stated: Wow. First of all, it’s hard to put it into words. Luckily I have this card. Once again, thank you to France Football and the Ballon d’Or for organizing this amazing event. Being in London makes it even more special. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I imagine it was really hard with such amazing and world-class players in the room, so thank you
and added: Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. It was an impressive display of what can be achieved with hard work. To my Bayern teammates, there are a few here today: without you and the rest of the team this wouldn’t be possible. You motivate me and help me develop as a footballer.
Kane is the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen claimed the honor in 2001. In addition to the primary prize, Kane collected the Gerd Müller Trophy as the year’s top striker.
Ewa Pajor Secures Historic Second Place in Women’s Ballon d’Or
While Kane claimed the men’s prize, Polish striker Ewa Pajor finished second in the Ballon d’Or Feminin. Pajor, representing FC Barcelona and the Polish national team, finished directly behind her club teammate Alexia Putellas, who captured the women’s award after guiding Barcelona to a continental treble.
The gala, held outside France for the first time in its history at the London Palladium, proved to be a dominant evening for FC Barcelona. Alongside Putellas, Lamine Yamal collected the Kopa Trophy as the best young male player, Pere Romeu won Women’s Coach of the Year, Vicky Lopez took home the young female talent award, and Cata Coll was named Goalkeeper of the Year. Barcelona also claimed the Women’s Team of the Year designation.
Additional 2026 Award Winners Across European Football
The 70th edition of the ceremony distributed honors across several international and club competitions. Unai Simon of Athletic Club and the Spanish national team received the Yashin Trophy for Goalkeeper of the Year. Luis de la Fuente was named Men’s Coach of the Year following Spain’s tactical successes. Paris Saint-Germain was honored as the Men’s Club of the Year, while Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Award for charitable endeavors.
The event also drew former winners and notable football figures to the red carpet in London, including Luis Figo, Ronaldo, and Gary Lineker. For local hospitality providers, security teams, and event organizers in London, hosting the milestone anniversary gala marked a major logistical undertaking following the relocation of the ceremony from Paris.
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