Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or on October 26 at the London Palladium, becoming the first Englishman to lift the trophy since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals for club and country in 2025/26, then finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal in one of the tightest votes in the award’s history.
A historic night at the London Palladium
The 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or left France for the first time. Organizers chose London to honor Stanley Matthews, the very first winner of the award back in 1956.
It turned into a home coronation for Kane, who grew up in the city. Fans packed the streets around the Palladium chanting his name, and the theater erupted when Brazilian legend Ronaldo read out the winner.
Kane, visibly emotional on stage, reflected on how unlikely the journey once looked. “Not many people would have thought I’d make it this far,” he told the crowd.
The season that built his case
Kane’s case started in Munich. He scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern, including 36 in just 31 Bundesliga games, a rate of more than a goal per league match.
Bayern lost only one of 40 domestic matches all season. Kane sealed the Bundesliga and German Cup double with a hat trick in the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart, adding to the German Supercup the club lifted the previous August.
- Goals for club and country in 2025/26: 73
Europe brought him close to the one trophy still missing from his collection. Kane reached 50 Champions League goals in only 66 appearances during a 6-4 aggregate quarterfinal win over Real Madrid.
Bayern then fell 6-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals. PSG went on to win the competition for a second straight year, which made the exit easier for voters to forgive.
A World Cup summer on American soil
The 2026 World Cup gave Kane a stage in front of millions of American fans, and he made the most of it. He scored six goals in seven appearances as England captain.
His brace in a 4-2 win over Croatia in Arlington, Texas, tied England’s World Cup scoring record. He then scored against Panama in East Rutherford, New Jersey, struck twice late to rescue a 2-1 comeback against DR Congo in Atlanta, and found the net again in a 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca.
- World Cup goals for England: 14
England’s run ended with a 2-1 semifinal defeat to Argentina in Atlanta. The Three Lions still finished third after beating France in Miami, their best World Cup result since lifting the trophy in 1966.
How Kane edged Mbappé
The vote went down to the wire. According to the organizers, Kane finished fewer than 41 points ahead of Mbappé, who still recorded the best Ballon d’Or finish of his career.
Mbappé had a strong argument. He topped the scoring charts in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup. Real Madrid and France both ended the season without a major trophy, and voters leaned toward the player who paired huge numbers with silverware and a deep World Cup run.
Lamine Yamal took third place and also won the Young Talent of the Year award. Lionel Messi finished fifth, a remarkable result for a player now competing in MLS with Inter Miami.
- Kane’s ranking at the 2025 Ballon d’Or: 13th
That number shows how far Kane climbed in a single year. Twelve months earlier, voters had placed him behind several players with far smaller goal tallies, a ranking England coach Thomas Tuchel openly criticized.
What the Ballon d’Or means for Kane’s legacy
Kane now belongs to a very small English club. He is the fifth English winner of the award, following Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen.
The trophy also closes a long chapter of near misses. For years, critics pointed to his empty cabinet at Tottenham Hotspur, where he became the club’s leading scorer without winning a single title.
His move to Bayern in 2023 rewrote that story. Kane has since collected two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup, a German Supercup and now the most prestigious individual prize in soccer.
On the same night, he also received the Striker of the Year award, the Gerd Müller Trophy. At 33, Kane has already said he wants to win the Ballon d’Or again next year.
FAQ
When did Harry Kane win the Ballon d’Or?
Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or on October 26, 2026, at the London Palladium in London. The award rewarded his performances during the 2025/26 season with Bayern Munich and England.
Who finished second and third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid finished second, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal finished third. Rodri and Lionel Messi completed the top five.
How many English players have won the Ballon d’Or?
Five English players have won it. Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979) and Michael Owen (2001) all lifted the trophy before Harry Kane in 2026.
Where can I watch Harry Kane and Bayern Munich in the US?
Since the 2026/27 season, the Bundesliga airs in English on USA Network, with every other match streaming free on Fandango. Spanish coverage is available on Telemundo, Universo and Peacock, while Bayern’s Champions League games stream on Paramount+.
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Harry Kane