England captain Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or on Monday after a record-breaking season with Bayern Munich, becoming the first Englishman to win football’s top individual award since Michael Owen in 2001, Dawn and Geo News reported.
Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women’s award, the Ballon d’Or Feminin, for the third time.
“Wow, wow, wow!” Kane said on stage at the Palladium Theatre in London. “I am almost speechless. Being here in London made it extra special, and a good omen for me tonight. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was tough this year.”
The season that won it
- Bayern: 61 goals in 51 games in all competitions as Bayern won the German league and cup double.
- World Cup: six goals as he led England to the semi-finals. England went on to finish third after beating France, Geo News reported.
- Total: 73 goals for club and country.
The France Football ceremony was held at the Palladium Theatre in London, which Kane said made the night extra special for him. Kane, 33, beat strong competition. Kylian Mbappe broke World Cup scoring records and Lamine Yamal helped Spain win the World Cup, but voters chose the striker whose form lasted the whole season.
Putellas makes it three
Putellas won the treble with Barcelona in the 2025-26 season, along with the Spanish Super Cup. In July she left Barcelona after 14 years to join London City Lionesses in the Women’s Super League.
“So deserved”
Prince William, a keen football fan who backed England during the World Cup, congratulated Kane on social media. “Huge congratulations to Harry Kane on winning the Ballon d’Or! What a fantastic achievement and so deserved,” he wrote. “A brilliant captain, a remarkable player and someone who has given football fans across the world so many unforgettable moments.”
Kane also paid tribute to his rivals on the night. “Some world-class players in the room tonight. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees,” he said.
Background: the long wait for a trophy
For most of his career Kane was famous for goals rather than medals. He moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern in 2023, and the German club gave him the trophies that had long eluded him. He is already England’s all-time leading scorer and their record World Cup scorer. This month Bayern drew with Arsenal in the Champions League.
Before Owen in 2001, England’s previous Ballon d’Or winners were Kevin Keegan and Bobby Charlton, and Stanley Matthews won the first award in 1956.
Why it matters
The award rewards consistency over flair. In recent years the Ballon d’Or has often gone to players known for spectacle, but Kane won it through sheer weight of goals, week after week. For England fans, it ends a 25-year wait for a winner and comes after a World Cup in which their captain carried the team to the last four.
The question now is whether Kane can add the one prize still missing: a major international trophy with England.
This article draws on reporting by Dawn and Geo News.
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