Harry Kane wins Ballon d'Or, ends England's 25-year wait

Harry Kane beat Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal to become the first English Ballon d'Or winner since 2001Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or in 2026. (Image: Reuters)London,Oct 27, 2026 04:37 ISTHarry Kane has become the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001, beating Kylian Mbapp and Lamine Yamal to football’s most prestigious individual award in London on Monday.Kane’s victory follows the most prolific season of his career. He scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and England in 2025-26, winning the European Golden Shoe after finishing as the leading goalscorer across Europe’s domestic leagues.The 33-year-old played a key role in Bayern’s Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal triumphs, scoring 61 goals in all competitions for the German club. He also struck 14 times in the Champions League, finishing one goal behind Mbapp in the competition’s scoring charts, as Bayern’s campaign ended in the semi-finals against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.Kane’s six goals at the 2026 World Cup further strengthened his case for the award. England finished third in the tournament, while their captain moved past Gary Lineker to become the country’s leading men’s goalscorer in World Cup history, with 14 goals. The Ballon d’Or makes Kane only the fifth Englishman to win the award, following Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen. His victory ends a 25-year wait for an English winner.This is a developing story. It will be updated. - Ends