England captain Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, beating France’s Kylian Mbappé and Spain’s Lamine Yamal to claim football’s most prestigious individual award at a ceremony in London on Monday.
The Bayern Munich striker becomes the first Englishman in 25 years to receive the honour, following an outstanding 2025-26 campaign in which he scored 73 goals across all competitions for club and country.
Kane’s remarkable scoring record also earned him the European Golden Shoe, recognising him as Europe’s leading goalscorer.
At club level, the 33-year-old played a decisive role in Bayern Munich’s domestic success, helping the German giants secure both the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal.
He also made a significant impact in the UEFA Champions League, scoring 14 goals before Bayern’s campaign ended in the semi-finals against eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappé finished ahead of him in the competition’s scoring charts with 15 goals for Real Madrid.
Kane’s achievements extended to the international stage, where he captained England to third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The result marked the Three Lions’ best performance at the tournament since winning the competition in 1966.
The England forward scored six goals during the tournament, including two late strikes that rescued his team against DR Congo. He also found the net against Mexico in the round of 16 at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
Beyond his goalscoring exploits, Kane continued to strengthen his place in English football history.
Earlier this season, he matched Peter Shilton’s long-standing record of 125 appearances for England.
Already England’s all-time leading goalscorer, Kane has since increased his international tally to 91 goals.
His Ballon d’Or triumph caps a remarkable period of individual and team success, placing him among the most celebrated English footballers of his generation.
