Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or, ending England's 25-year wait for men's award

Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first English man to claim football's most prestigious individual trophy in 25 years. The striker, who has scored 91 goals for his country, was announced as the winner at a ceremony at the Palladium Theatre in London, sparking wild cheers from the audience. The last English man to win the award was Michael Owen in 2001, making Kane's triumph a historic moment for English football. Kane's victory caps a remarkable career that has seen him become England's all-time leading scorer, and it finally brings the Ballon d'Or back to England after a quarter-century drought. In the women's category, Alexia Putellas of London City Lionesses won her third Ballon d'Or, five years after her first with Barcelona. The double English success on home soil underscores the growing strength of football in the country. Kane's win is not just a personal milestone but a signal that English football is back at the pinnacle of the global game.