Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman to receive the award in 25 years. The ceremony took place in London, where the Bayern Munich striker was honoured for a season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country.
The last British player to win the award was Michael Owen, in 2001. Kane now joins a list that includes Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan.
Kane beats Mbappé and Yamal
Kane beat rivals including Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to win the prize, which is awarded by the French magazine France Football. Visibly emotional, Kane said on stage: “Wow, I’m almost speechless. First of all, thank you again to France Football and the Ballon d’Or for this incredible event. Being in London makes everything even more special; I felt it was a good omen.”
The striker thanked England, Bayern and his former club Tottenham for their support throughout his career.
At the press conference afterwards, Kane spoke of the emotion of receiving the award: “My heart was beating fast and I was just waiting for Ronaldo to say my name. It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”
The player stressed the importance of teamwork: “This is an individual award, but I have to thank them, because it wouldn’t have been possible without them, and that’s what makes a team.”
Confusion and delay at the ceremony
The ceremony was not without its setbacks. Hours earlier, the Ballon d’Or website published three different articles naming Kane, Yamal and Mbappé as the winner, which caused confusion. In addition, the start of the ceremony was delayed by 45 minutes because of London traffic.
Carragher highlights the move to Bayern
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher expressed his delight at Kane’s win: “I’m absolutely thrilled. What a career he’s had, what a player he is, and as a country we don’t have enough Ballon d’Or winners.”
Carragher underlined the long wait since Owen’s win and pointed out that Kane, together with Jude Bellingham, represents a new generation of English talent.
The pundit also said that Kane’s transfer to Bayern was key to his success: “There was no way Harry Kane was going to win the Ballon d’Or if he was playing for Tottenham.”
With this win, Kane strengthens his place in English football history and opens up new prospects, including the possibility of winning the Champions League.
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