Charlyn Corral makes history as first Mexican to win Ballon d'Or award

Charlyn Corral became the first Mexican female footballer to win an award at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony. The Pachuca Femenil forward was honoured as the year's best forward, marking a historic milestone for Mexican football. During the ceremony held in London, Corral shared a brief encounter with English striker Harry Kane, who won the Ballon d'Or in the men's category.

Corral highlighted the advances of women's football in Mexico upon receiving the award. The footballer also praised the nomination of her club teammate Scarlett Camberos, who made the top thirty best players. President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Corral, calling the prize a source of pride for Mexicans.

Harry Kane, striker for Bayern Munich, was recognised as the season's best footballer after scoring 73 goals across all competitions. At 33 years old, Kane won the Ballon d'Or for the first time, an award he had reportedly pursued for years. Following the ceremony, Kane organised a celebration with the people who had accompanied him throughout his football career.

A remark Kane made during the awards presentation sparked speculation about whether the English striker knew the voting result in advance. Manager José Mourinho, who coached Kane between 2019 and 2021 and currently manages Real Madrid, had already anticipated the player could win the award, according to reports. Mourinho stated that Kane's dimension was universal and that he believed he could help the footballer.

Kane shared an emotional message on social media after his victory: "Work hard in silence. Let success be your noise." However, Benjamín Agüero, son of Sergio Agüero, disagreed with the decision and posted a photo revealing who his favourite for the award was.