Harry Kane wins the Ballon d’Or as England’s 25-year wait ends
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The awards ceremony took place in London on October 26.
Kane claimed the prize for the first time in his career, becoming the fifth Englishman in history to receive the award. England’s previous winner was Michael Owen, who lifted the Ballon d’Or in 2001, leaving English football with a quarter-century wait for its next recipient.
During the 2025/26 season, Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country: 61 for Bayern Munich and another 12 for England. He won the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup with Bayern, while helping England finish third at the World Cup. Alongside the Ballon d’Or, he also received the Gerd Müller Trophy at the ceremony.
England’s history with the award began with Stanley Matthews, who became the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner in 1956. The Blackpool player was 41 at the time and remains the oldest recipient in the award’s history.
Every English Ballon d’Or winner:
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Stanley Matthews — 1956.
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Bobby Charlton — 1966.
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Kevin Keegan — 1978, 1979.
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Michael Owen — 2001.
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Harry Kane — 2026.