Harry Kane wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or
England national team and German club Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has won the Ballon d'Or, the award given to the world's best soccer player of the 2025/26 season by France Football magazine.
The award ceremony was held in London.
The top five in the voting also included French forward Kylian Mbappe of Spain's Real Madrid, Spanish forward Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, Spanish midfielder Rodri of Barcelona, and Argentine forward Lionel Messi of the American club Inter Miami. Sixth place went to Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of France's Paris Saint-Germain.
Last season, Kane scored 61 goals and provided 7 assists in 51 matches for Bayern. With the club, he won the German championship and the country's cup. The striker topped the list of the highest-scoring players in the national league and won the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the top scorer in the championships of countries that are members of the Union of European Football Associations.
With the England national team, Kane won bronze medals at the World Cup. At the tournament, the forward recorded 6 goals and 1 assist in 7 matches. Kane became England's all-time leading scorer at World Cups with 13 goals and entered the top five in that category in the entire history of the competition.
Kane became the fourth Bayern player to win the Ballon d'Or. Before him, the achievement was attained by Germans Gerd Muller (1970), Franz Beckenbauer (1972, 1976), and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1980, 1981). Among English players, the most prestigious individual award was previously won by Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978, 1979), and Michael Owen (2001).
The Ballon d'Or has been awarded since 1956. Until 1994, it could only be received by a player from Europe playing for a European club. In 1995, footballers of any nationality playing in Europe were allowed to compete for the award. That year, the Ballon d'Or was won by Liberia national team striker George Weah. Since 2007, footballers from any club in the world have been eligible for the Ballon d'Or. The award ceremony was held outside Paris for the first time.
