Bayern Munich and England striker, Harry Kane, has been named the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner, becoming the first English player to claim the prestigious award since Michael Owen in 2001. The 33-year-old received the honour at a ceremony in London on Monday night, beating Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to the prize. 

Kane earned the award following an outstanding 2025/2026 campaign, during which he scored 73 goals for club and country. The Ballon d’Or, presented annually by France Football, recognises the world’s outstanding footballer based on performances during the relevant assessment period. Since its introduction in 1956, the award has been won by some of football’s most celebrated players, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. 

Messi holds the record with eight wins, followed by Ronaldo with five. Other multiple winners include Cruyff, Platini and Van Basten, who each claimed the award three times. The award was not presented in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Recent winners include Rodri in 2024, Ousmane Dembélé in 2025 and Kane in 2026. Kane’s reported triumph adds his name to the list of football greats who have received the prestigious individual honour since the award’s inception.