Harry Kane has completed âÂÂhis long quest for footballâÂÂs highest individual honour, with the Bayern Munich and England striker winning the Ballon â dâÂÂOr after a record-breaking season â that cemented his status as one of the gameâÂÂs greatest goalscorers.
Kane is the first Englishman to win the prestigious award in 25 years, after Michael Owen won it in 2001.
âÂÂWow, wow, wow!â Kane said after taking â the stage on Monday. âÂÂI am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special. Made it a good omen for me tonight. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was tough this year.
âÂÂSome world-class players in the room tonight. Congratulations â to all the winners and nominees tonight, and impressive showing determination and hard work can really achieve.âÂÂ
Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the Ballon dâÂÂOr Feminin for the third time.
KaneâÂÂs move to Bayern in 2023 brought the team trophies that had long eluded him. In 2025-26, he coupled that success with goalscoring numbers that made him the leading Ballon dâÂÂOr candidate.
The England captain produced the most prolific campaign of his life, scoring âÂÂ61 goals in 51 games for Bayern across all competitions as the German giants completed a domestic league and cup double.
By the end of the season, Kane had established himself as EuropeâÂÂs leading goalscorer, turning every competition into a showcase of his finishing ability.
His influence stretched far beyond club football. As England embarked on another attempt to end decades of hurt at the World Cup, Kane once again emerged as the teamâÂÂs driving force.
He scored six goals during the tournament and led England to the semifinals, combining his clinical finishing with the leadership and composure that have defined his international career.
In many ways, the award represents the culmination â of a remarkable journey. Few players have experienced a career arc quite like KaneâÂÂs.
Once struggling to â establish himself at Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster, being sent out on numerous loans, he developed into one of the most complete centre forwards of his generation, capable of scoring every type of goal while also functioning as a playmaker.
The Ballon dâÂÂOr has often rewarded players whose success was built on flair and spectacle, â but KaneâÂÂs triumph is a tribute to consistency, intelligence and productivity on an exceptional scale.
His â numbers were almost impossible to ignore.
Kane finished the campaign with 73 goals for club â and country, a total rarely seen in the modern era. More importantly, those goals arrived in moments of genuine significance, helping Bayern collect trophies and driving England deep into the biggest tournament in the sport.
The competition for this yearâÂÂs award was fierce. Kylian Mbappe broke World Cup scoring records. Lamine Yamal helped Spain to World Cup âÂÂglory. Yet voters ultimately chose Kane, whose excellence lasted the entire season.
At 33, Kane has finally claimed the gameâÂÂs highest individual honour, adding a Ballon dâÂÂOr to a legacy that already places him among footballâÂÂs greatest strikers as EnglandâÂÂs all-time leading marksman and their record âÂÂWorld âÂÂCup scorer.
Putellas was presented with the womenâÂÂs award after winning the treble with Barcelona in the 2025-26 campaign, in addition to the Spanish Super Cup. She moved to WomenâÂÂs Super League side London City Lionesses in July, after 14 years at Barca.