Ballon D’or 2026: Harry Kane becomes first English man to win award in 25 years
Harry Kane made history on Monday night in London when became the first English man to win the Ballon D’or in 25 years, after being crowned the best men’s player 2026. No English player had won the award since Michael Owen in 2001, but that dry run ended when the Bayern Munich striker was announced […]
Harry Kane made history on Monday in London, becoming the first Englishman to win the Ballon D'or in 25 years. Since Michael Owen in 2001, no English player had claimed the award. The Bayern Munich striker was named 2026's best men's player at the Palladium Theatre, beating Kylian Mbape (France) and Lamine Yamal (Spain). Kane's achievement followed an exceptional season, where he scored 73 goals for club and country, guiding Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and England to a third-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The England captain, visibly emotional upon winning, expressed his gratitude to voters and acknowledged the competitive field. Only five times in the past two decades has the Ballon d'Or not gone to a player who won the World Cup, Champions League, European Championship, or Copa America. Kane joins Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the few to achieve this feat.
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