London gave Harry Kane a homecoming he will never forget. On Monday night, at the London Palladium, the Bayern Munich and England striker was named the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner, becoming the first Englishman to lift football’s most famous individual prize in 25 years.
Kane, 33, finished ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal in the voting for the 70th edition of the award. The ceremony began at 1:30 am IST on Tuesday, October 27, for viewers in India. When his name was read out, Kane looked almost lost for words.
“Wow, wow, wow,” he said from the stage. “I am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special.”
It was a fitting setting. The award was moved to London to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the English legend who won the very first Ballon d’Or in 1956. Seventy years later, another Englishman stood on the same stage, holding the golden ball.
73 goals that could not be ignored
Football awards are often argued over for weeks. This one felt harder to argue with. Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season, with eight assists taking his total goal contributions to 81.
For Bayern Munich, he scored 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga matches as the club won the league title. In Europe, he added 14 goals in 13 Champions League appearances, scoring in both legs of the quarter-final against Real Madrid and in the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern also completed a domestic treble, winning the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the German Super Cup.
Kane saved some of his best for the biggest stage of all. He scored six goals for England at the 2026 World Cup and captained the side to a third-place finish, England’s best result at the tournament since 1966. In the German Cup final, he scored a hat-trick against Stuttgart.
“Anything is possible with hard work, when no one else is watching,” Kane told the audience, speaking directly to young players watching at home. “My journey wasn’t straightforward. I wasn’t the kid who went straight to the top. I had to experience the downs. I had to fight my way to be the very best right now.”
First English winner since Michael Owen
Kane is only the fifth English footballer ever to win the Ballon d’Or, and the first since Michael Owen in 2001. The gap tells its own story. For a quarter of a century, the award has belonged largely to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, then to a new generation of stars from Spain, France and beyond.
This year, the top five underlined how open the race had become. Mbappe finished second and Yamal third, followed by 2024 winner Rodri in fourth and Messi, the record eight-time winner, in fifth. Last year’s winner, Ousmane Dembele, finished seventh.
Yamal did not leave empty-handed. The Barcelona forward won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player for the third year in a row, after a season in which he helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup.
Putellas claims her third women’s award
The women’s Ballon d’Or went to Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, who won the prize for a third time. Putellas had previously won back-to-back awards in 2021 and 2022, and her latest win ended the three-year run of her Spain and Barcelona team-mate Aitana Bonmati.
Putellas led Barcelona to multiple titles, including the Women’s Champions League, and played a key role as Spain won the Nations League last December. Ewa Pajor finished second in the women’s voting, with Khadija Shaw third.
The night belonged largely to Spanish football. Seven Spanish players and coaches collected individual honours, including Vicky Lopez, who won the women’s Kopa Trophy, goalkeepers Unai Simon and Cata Coll, and coaches Luis de la Fuente and Pere Romeu.
Why London, and why it mattered
France Football, which presents the Ballon d’Or, had never taken the ceremony outside France since 2015. Bringing it to the London Palladium for the 70th anniversary was a deliberate nod to Matthews, and it gave Kane’s win an extra layer of meaning.
He thanked his team-mates, coaches, parents and children, and then his wife Kate, calling her his best friend and biggest supporter.
For England supporters, the timing feels symbolic too. Kane captained the national team to its best World Cup finish in 60 years, then collected the game’s highest individual honour in his home city.
FAQs
Who won the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or and Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or at the ceremony in London on October 26, 2026.
How many goals did Harry Kane score last season?
Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season and added eight assists, for 81 goal contributions in total.
Who was the last Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or before Kane?
Michael Owen, in 2001. Kane is the fifth English footballer ever to win the award.
Who finished second and third in the men’s voting?
Kylian Mbappe finished second and Lamine Yamal finished third. Yamal also won the Kopa Trophy for best young player.
Where was the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony held?
At the London Palladium in London, the first time the ceremony was held in London and the first time outside France since 2015.
What a night in London. Kane waited a long time for this one, and football finally waited for him.
