Harry Kane has won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Englishman to claim football's top individual prize since Michael Owen in 2001. The England captain secured the award with 1,055 points, finishing just 28 points ahead of France's Kylian Mbappe in a historically close vote.
Kane received the trophy at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday night. He topped the poll of 100 international journalists, earning 40 first-place votes compared to Mbappe's 23. Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal finished a distant third, 174 points behind the winner.
His victory caps a phenomenal 2025-26 season where he scored 73 goals for club and country. The 33-year-old striker was the Bundesliga's top scorer for Bayern Munich and captained England to a third-place finish at the World Cup.
In his acceptance speech, Kane paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife and family. "To my wife, Kate, my best friend. We've been through ups and downs for sure. You're my biggest supporter." Kane said.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel praised Kane's leadership and performances, while the FA marked the achievement by lighting the Wembley arch in gold. Prince William also congratulated the striker on social media, calling him a "brilliant captain" and "remarkable player".
Kane's triumph comes as he continues to lead the line for his country in impressive form. In England's most recent match, a 3-0 win over Czechia on 6 October, he scored twice, adding to an earlier own goal by a Czechia player. He also netted a brace in the 7-0 demolition of Croatia three days earlier, part of a run of three consecutive victories for the national side. England's recent form shows three wins and one defeat from their last four matches, with the sequence reading wins over Czechia, Croatia, and Czechia again before a loss to Spain.
They next face Croatia again at home on 12 November, a fixture that will see Kane return to action as the reigning Ballon d'Or holder against a side that currently sits second in the table. England's current top scorer this season is Jude Bellingham with seven goals, but Kane's latest individual honour shows his enduring importance to the national setup.
This story first appeared at Daily Mail Sport
