Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or as Putellas takes third women’s award

Harry Kane has won the men’s Ballon d’Or, ending England’s 25-year wait for the award and becoming the first Englishman to receive it since Liverpool striker Michael Owen in 2001. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich forward was honoured at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday. Reports said Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season, helping Bayern Munich win the German league and cup double.

Al Jazeera separately reported that he scored 61 goals for Bayern across all competitions and six for England at the World Cup. Kane also finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for a third consecutive season and was Europe’s top club goalscorer during the 2025-26 campaign, according to DW. His award came after competition from Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe.

The accounts differ on England’s World Cup finish: DW described the team’s run as reaching the semifinals, while France 24 reported that England finished third after losing to Argentina in the semifinals. Both reports said Kane scored six goals at the tournament and set a new England record for World Cup goals. Kane thanked his Bayern teammates during his acceptance speech and also paid tribute to Tottenham Hotspur, where he began his career, his England teammates and his family.

He said his route to the top had involved loan spells and setbacks rather than a direct rise to prominence. The ceremony was held in London, a detail that Kane said made the occasion particularly special. His victory also made him the first Bayern Munich player to win the men’s award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981 and the first Bundesliga player since Matthias Sammer in 1996, according to the earlier DW preview.

Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time. The 32-year-old midfielder was recognised after helping Barcelona win the treble and the Women’s Champions League, contributing 21 goals across competitions and seven goals and seven assists in the European campaign, according to DW. Putellas had previously won the award in 2021 and 2022.

Her latest victory ended a three-year run by fellow Spain international Aitana Bonmatí, who was not on this year’s shortlist after breaking her leg in December, France 24 reported. Putellas joined London City Lionesses in July after 14 years at Barcelona. Other honours went to Yamal and Barcelona teammate Vicky Lopez, who won the men’s and women’s Kopa trophies.

Spain’s Luis de la Fuente and Barcelona’s Pere Romeu were named coaches of the year, while Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona received the men’s and women’s club awards respectively.