Harry Kane Becomes First Englishman in 25 Years to Win the Ballon d’Or
Kane finished with 73 goals for club and country and became the first Englishman to win the prize in 25 years, officials said.
- On Monday, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or at the London Palladium, becoming the first English player to claim the prestigious award in 25 years after scoring 73 goals last season.
- Organizers France Football inadvertently published pre-written articles naming Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappé as winners hours before the ceremony, sparking confusion and forcing a 45-minute delay.
- Premier League record scorer Alan Shearer presented Kane with the Gerd Müller Trophy for his 73-goal haul, which spearheaded Bayern Munich to a domestic double and England to their best World Cup finish in 60 years.
- "I'm almost speechless," Kane said on stage, thanking his family and coaches for supporting him through early loan moves and struggles that shaped his path to football's highest individual honor.
- Kane's triumph cements his status as a generational English icon, though younger rivals Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are positioned to dominate future Ballon d'Or races as football's landscape evolves.
886 Articles
886 Articles
Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or after record-breaking season
Harry Kane completed his long quest for football’s highest individual honour on Monday, with the Bayern Munich and England striker winning the Ballon d’Or after a record-breaking season that cemented his status as one of the game’s greatest goalscorers. Kane is the first Englishman to win the prestigious award in 25 years, after Michael Owen […]
Outside, in front of the venerable London Palladium, the English fans called the name of Harry Kane for a long time during the night. FC Bayern's storm star was the first Englishman to be awarded the prestigious Ballon d'Or for 25 years - and could hardly believe it himself."Not many people had thought that, and maybe even I didn't think I would make it that far," said Kane in an interview with the streaming service DAZN. He had never been the p…
Harry Kane made history by becoming the first English footballer to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country last season.
Harry Kane surprisingly wins the Ballon d-Or. His award is a quiet but strong signal against Gianni Infantino's greed and power obsession.
England's Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or 2026
London: Harry Kane became the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d’Or on Monday thanks to his prolific scoring last season. Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season; he was Europe’s top scorer, and smashed scoring records in Germany and at the World Cup, where he captained England to a third-place finish. The Bayern Munich star says the achievement was built on so much more. “Anything is possible with hard work, when no …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
![[Opinion] 2026 Ballon d'Or: Thierry Henry Reacts as Kane Wins Ahead of Yamal, Mbappe](/_next/image?url=%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Fgeneric_3_half.eb3f2714.webp&w=1440&q=75)
