World
Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or ahead of Yamal and Mbappe
England's Harry Kane claimed football's most prestigious individual award at a ceremony in London, finishing ahead of fellow contenders Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.
Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or at a gala held at the London Palladium, marking the first time the ceremony took place in Britain. The Bayern Munich striker beat Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to claim the prize. Kane's achievement made him the first English winner of the award since Michael Owen in 2001.
Kane's goalscoring record during the period under consideration stood at 73 goals across 65 appearances for club and country. His performances helped Bayern Munich secure a league and cup double, while he also led England to the World Cup semi-finals.
The ceremony experienced logistical difficulties, with traffic issues in London causing the start time to be delayed. The event also saw unusual circumstances when the official Ballon d'Or website published articles naming Kane, Yamal and Mbappe as winners before the ceremony concluded, articles that were subsequently deleted.
Women's award went to Alexia Putellas, who claimed her third Ballon d'Or. The ceremony was described by reports as chaotic.
Kane faced competition from Mbappe and Yamal, with various sources identifying all three as leading contenders before the outcome was determined. According to one account, Messi, at age 39, also remained in contention following his World Cup performances, though the focus had increasingly shifted towards a potential rivalry between Yamal and Mbappe.
The award represents the culmination of Kane's season with Bayern Munich and England. Prior to the ceremony, uncertainty about the outcome persisted due to Kane's Champions League exit and England's World Cup semi-final elimination, despite his domestic and international goalscoring achievements.