Harry Kane Wins 2026 Ballon d'Or as Alexia Putellas Claims Third

English striker Harry Kane was awarded the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday evening at the London Palladium, capping a standout season that saw him emerge victorious in a highly competitive 70th edition of the ceremony. The Bayern Munich forward and England national team captain received the prestigious trophy from Ronaldo, succeeding previous winner Ousmane Dembélé to become the first English player to claim the honor since Michael Owen in 2001.

Kane's remarkable 2025-2026 campaign featured exceptional statistics, totaling 73 goals across all competitions. This included 61 goals and 7 assists in 51 matches for Bayern Munich, where he finished as the top scorer in the Bundesliga with 36 goals and second-highest scorer in the Champions League with 14 goals, ultimately earning the European Golden Shoe. He also contributed 11 goals for the England national team, including six at the World Cup where England reached the semifinals, earning him the Gerd Müller Trophy as the year's top scorer.

In the voting for the men's award, the jury favored Kane over competitors including Lamine Yamal, who won the World Cup with Spain, and Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé finished without a major team trophy during the season despite strong individual statistics, including being the top scorer in the World Cup, Champions League, and La Liga, alongside setting a historic World Cup scoring record of 22 career goals. Analysts noted that the voting panel ultimately prioritized team trophies and fair play over individual record accumulation.

On the women's side, Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas claimed her third career Ballon d'Or, adding to her previous victories in 2021 and 2022. Now playing for London City Lionesses after fourteen seasons with Barcelona, Putellas navigated a dominant year that included winning the Champions League in May with a 4-0 victory over Lyon. The category's three-year reigning winner, Aitana Bonmatí, was absent from the nominees due to a season shortened by injury.

The ceremony also recognized several other prominent figures in international football. Lamine Yamal was awarded the Kopa Trophy as the best young player, while Vicky López received the women's equivalent. Unai Simón and Cata Coll secured the Yachine Trophy for best goalkeepers, and Luis de la Fuente alongside Pere Romeu were named coaches of the year following Spain's World Cup success.

Additional awards included Paris Saint-Germain being named the men's club of the year and FC Barcelona taking the women's club honors. Charlyn Corral received the women's Gerd Müller Trophy, and Bukayo Saka was honored with the Socrates Award for his charitable work with the Big Shoe association.

Reflecting on his milestone achievement on stage, Kane remarked, "Wow, wow, wow. I am almost speechless, luckily I have this list here," before thanking France Football and his Bayern Munich teammates. Meanwhile, Putellas used her acceptance speech to encourage younger generations, stating, "To all the little boys and girls, don't listen to people who tell you that you cannot play. Just do it. If you have a dream, follow it."