Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or after record-breaking season with Bayern and England

Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday, becoming the first English player since Michael Owen in 2001 to receive football’s most prestigious individual award. The Bayern Munich striker defeated Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe at the first ceremony held on English soil. Kane’s award followed a season in which he scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and England, according to Channels Television and India Today.

His goals helped Bayern win the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. He also claimed the European Golden Shoe and the men’s Striker of the Year award. The 33-year-old scored 61 goals for Bayern in all competitions, including 14 in the Champions League.

Bayern reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. Kane also scored six times at the 2026 World Cup, where England finished third, taking his World Cup total to 14 and moving him past Gary Lineker as England’s leading men’s scorer in the competition. Kane acknowledged that the season could have brought greater team honours.

India Today reported that he said Bayern came close to the Champions League final and England reached the World Cup semi-finals, adding that winning those competitions would have made his claim to the award “guaranteed for sure.” Nevertheless, he described it as his best season. During his acceptance speech, Kane thanked his Bayern teammates, coaching staff and wife, Kate. He said moving to Bayern in 2023 had helped him improve as a player, person and leader.

He also sent his support to manager Vincent Kompany, who was recovering after collapsing during training, according to India Today. Kane’s victory came despite a career record that includes major final defeats with Tottenham and England. His medal collection since moving to Germany has been dominated by domestic success, but his sustained scoring output persuaded voters to place him ahead of two of the sport’s most prominent younger contenders.

Yamal, 19, won the young-player award for a third consecutive year but did not become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner. Channels Television said his form during Spain’s World Cup campaign was not at its best. Mbappe’s wait for the main award also continued, although he scored twice as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in the latest El Clasico.

Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time, returning to the top after an anterior cruciate ligament injury disrupted her career. She was recognised for helping Barcelona win the previous season’s Champions League before moving to London City Lionesses. She succeeded Spain teammate Aitana Bonmatí, who had won the award for the previous three years but missed much of the season with a leg injury.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was named men’s coach of the year after leading the country to World Cup victory, while Barcelona’s Pere Romeu won the women’s coaching award. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka received the Socrates award for humanitarian work, and Paris Saint-Germain was named men’s club of the year after winning a second consecutive Champions League.