Harry Kane won the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or on Monday night at the London Palladium. The Bayern Munich and England striker is the first Englishman to win the prize since Michael Owen in 2001, and the fifth overall after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan (twice), and Owen.

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid finished second. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal finished third. ESPN and BBC Sport both report the same podium. Kane scored 73 goals for club and country in the judging period. BBC Sport says 61 of those came for Bayern, a club single-season record, as the side won the German league and cup double. England reached the World Cup semifinals. Kane is the first Bayern player to win the Ballon d'Or since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

France Football organizes the award, which is voted on by 100 journalists. The ceremony started thirty minutes late. Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or for a third time. Yamal took the men's young player prize again. Kane, 33, thanked England, Bayern, and former club Tottenham on stage and said the London setting felt like a good omen.

The Ballon d'Or is among the biggest individual honors in soccer. Kane had never finished higher than tenth before this win. He did not lift the World Cup or the Champions League last season, a path that is uncommon for recent winners, BBC Sport notes.

What we know: Kane won the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or ahead of Mbappe and Yamal. He is the first English winner since Owen in 2001. He scored 73 goals for club and country in the judging window.
What we don't: How the full 100-journalist ballot broke down beyond the published podium, and whether Kane can defend the prize next season.