Soccer
Golden Triumph | Harry Kane Claims 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or to End England's 25-Year Wait
England captain and Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane has officially been crowned the world's best player, winning the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or at a gala held at the London Palladium.
England captain and Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane has officially been crowned the world's best player, winning the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or at a gala held at the London Palladium.
Presented the golden trophy by legendary Brazilian forward Ronaldo Nazário, Kane edged out Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé (2nd) and Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal (3rd).
The victory ends a quarter-century drought for English football, making Kane the fifth Englishman in history to claim the award and the first since Michael Owen in 2001.
2026 Men's Ballon d'Or Voting Summary
- 1st Place (Winner): Harry Kane, England and Bayern Munich
- 2nd Place: Kylian Mbappé, France and Real Madrid
- 3rd Place: Lamine Yamal, Spain and Barcelona
- 4th Place: Ousmane Dembélé, France and Paris Saint-Germain
- 5th Place: Lionel Messi, Argentina and Inter Miami
A Record-Breaking Campaign
Kane's coronation follows a staggering 2025-26 season where he averaged over a goal per appearance across all competitions, finishing with one of the highest single-season scoring tallies of the 21st century.
His prolific 73-goal output also earned him the Gerd Müller Trophy as the top striker of the year, making Kane the first player in history to walk away from a single Ballon d'Or ceremony with both honors.
| Award Category | 2026 Winner | Team and Country |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Ballon d'Or | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich and England |
| Women's Ballon d'Or | Alexia Putellas | London City Lionesses and Spain |
| Kopa Trophy (Best U21) | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona and Spain |
| Yashin Trophy (Men's Goalkeeper) | Unai Simón | Athletic Bilbao and Spain |
| Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer) | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich and England |
Putellas Wins Third Women's Ballon d'Or
On the women's side, Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas captured her third Women's Ballon d'Or. Putellas was rewarded for leading Barcelona Femení to a historic domestic and European campaign before making her high-profile transfer to the London City Lionesses.
The night marked a sweeping showcase for Spanish football as well, with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal claiming his third consecutive Kopa Trophy, while Unai Simón and Cata Coll took home the men's and women's Yashin Trophies for top goalkeepers.
For more soccer coverage, see the Soccer hub and our Zinedine Zidane France appointment report.
Harry Kane 2026 Ballon d'Or coverage via YouTube