English forward Harry Kane has been crowned the winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, an award recognizing him as the best footballer of the season. The Bayern Munich attacker made history by becoming the first English player to win this prestigious award since Michael Owen, who received it in 2001. The ceremony took place on October 26th in London, England, where Kane surpassed stars like Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal in the voting, solidifying his place among the world's footballing greats.

One of the main reasons Kane earned the award was his extraordinary goal-scoring ability during the 2025-2026 campaign. The forward registered 73 goals for both his club and the English national team across all competitions, in addition to contributing to Bayern Munich's Bundesliga and German Cup titles. In German football, he stood out by finishing as the league's top scorer for the third consecutive season, while in the UEFA Champions League, he scored 14 goals and helped his team reach the semifinals of the European tournament.

On the international stage, Kane also had a standout performance with England during the 2026 World Cup, where he scored six goals and surpassed Gary Lineker as the highest-scoring Englishman in World Cup history. His leadership as captain and his consistent threat in front of goal were decisive factors in supporting his Ballon d'Or candidacy. Furthermore, the attacker received the award for best forward of the year, completing an outstanding season that allowed him to achieve football's highest individual honor and return England to prominence in the history of this award.