Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or in London on Monday, October 26, becoming the first English winner in 25 years, UEFA and Reuters reported. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s award for a third time, according to EFE.
England Football said Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country during the season: 61 for Bayern and 12 for England. His club honours included the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Supercup. UEFA also recorded 14 Champions League goals as Bayern reached the semi-finals.
Kane follows Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen as the fifth Englishman to win the award, England Football said. Owen was the previous English recipient in 2001. Kane also collected the Gerd Müller Trophy for men’s striker of the year, having shared that prize with Mbappé in 2024.
EFE reported that Putellas reclaimed the women’s trophy after Aitana Bonmatí’s reign. Other winners confirmed by UEFA included Yamal for men’s young talent and Vicky López for women’s young talent. Unai Simón and Cata Coll took the goalkeeper awards, while Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona won the men’s and women’s club prizes respectively.
According to England Football, Kane credited his teammates and coaches with making his scoring achievements possible. England coach Thomas Tuchel praised his captain’s performances and said the end of the country’s 25-year wait made the honour especially significant. Bukayo Saka received the Sócrates Award recognising humanitarian and social initiatives.
UEFA said the ceremony marked the award’s 70th anniversary, with London hosting for the first time in tribute to inaugural winner Matthews. France Football created the prize in 1956 and has co-organised it with UEFA since 2024. Looking ahead, Tuchel said he expected Kane to enjoy the occasion with his family before returning to scoring goals and winning matches.
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