Harry Kane has been crowned the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner at a lavish ceremony held at the Palladium Theatre in London. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich and England striker is the first Englishman to win the prestigious trophy in 25 years, ending a drought that lasted since Michael Owen's victory in 2001.
Kane's victory follows a remarkable season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country. To claim the award, the England captain beat out competition from Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. The achievement is described as the ultimate reward for years of perseverance.
The women's Ballon d'Or was awarded to Alexia Putellas of London City Lionesses. This marks her third time winning the award, five years after her first victory while playing for Barcelona. Putellas' win ends the three-year reign of teammate Aitana Bonmati and follows her success in helping Barcelona win the Champions League.