Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or at a ceremony in London on Monday night, becoming the first English player to claim football's most prestigious individual award in 25 years.

The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid in second place and Lamine Yamal of Barcelona in third. Kane received the trophy at the London Palladium after a record-breaking 2025-26 campaign in which he scored 73 goals for club and country combined.

Kane netted 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions, helping the club secure the Bundesliga title and German Cup. He added 12 goals for England, including during their run to the World Cup semifinals. The tally marked the highest single-season goal return for a Bayern player in history.

Voters from 100 journalists representing the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations selected Kane over a field that included several standout performers. Mbappé set new World Cup scoring records during the tournament, while Yamal played a key role in Spain's success.

"I am almost speechless," Kane said upon receiving the award. "Being here in London has made it extra special."

The victory marks the fifth time an Englishman has won the Ballon d'Or, following Sir Stanley Matthews in 1956, Sir Bobby Charlton in 1966, Kevin Keegan in 1978 and 1979, and Michael Owen in 2001. Kane also became the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

The ceremony also saw Alexia Putellas claim the women's Ballon d'Or for a third time. Other honors went to Lamine Yamal as the top young player and Paris Saint-Germain as club of the year.