Harry Kane, 33, of Bayern Munich, has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or for the first time in his career, becoming the first English player to receive the award in 25 years.
Kane was named the winner of the men's category at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony held on October 27 in London, defeating strong contenders such as Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid.
The Ballon d'Or, organized by French football magazine France Football, is awarded annually to the player who has performed the best in the world, as determined by a vote of football journalists from various countries. The men's award has been presented since 1956, while the women's award began in 2018.
No Asian player has ever won the Ballon d'Or, with Son Heung-min's 11th place finish in 2022 being the highest ranking for an Asian player to date.
Traditionally held in Paris, this year's ceremony took place in London to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d'Or and to honor its inaugural winner, English football legend Stanley Matthews.
Kane is the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. He joins the ranks of previous English winners, including Matthews, Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978, 1979), and Owen, making him the fifth English recipient overall.
As a player for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, Kane's achievement marks the first time in 45 years that a player from the club has won the award, since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981. Kane also secured the Gerd Müller Trophy, awarded to the top scorer of the season, making him a double winner.
During the 2025-2026 season, Kane played 65 matches for both his club and the national team, scoring 73 goals and providing 8 assists. He netted 36 goals in the Bundesliga, earning the top scorer title for the third consecutive year, and set a club record with 61 goals in 51 official matches for Bayern. Additionally, he contributed 12 goals for the England national team and scored 6 goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leading England to a third-place finish.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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