Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or after a record-breaking season with Bayern Munich, despite missing out on the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup.

The England captain was announced as the winner on Monday, beating France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, who finished second, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.

At 33, Kane becomes the first English player in 25 years to win the prestigious individual award. He is also the fifth Englishman to claim the honour, following Stanley Matthews in 1956, Bobby Charlton in 1966, Kevin Keegan in 1978 and 1979, and Michael Owen in 2001.

The ceremony, held at the London Palladium to mark the award’s 70th anniversary, saw Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário present the trophy.

“I am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special,” Kane said while accepting the award.

He thanked those who voted for him and congratulated the other winners and nominees, describing their performances as an impressive display of determination and hard work.

Record-Breaking Season at Bayern

Kane’s individual numbers were central to his triumph. He scored 61 goals in 51 club appearances last season, the highest tally ever recorded by a Bayern Munich player in a single campaign.

Across club and international matches, he finished with 73 goals and eight assists in 65 appearances.

His 61 goals for Bayern were 19 more than those scored by any other player in Europe’s top five leagues during the campaign. He also became the German league’s leading scorer with 36 goals, finishing 17 ahead of his closest rival.

In the Champions League, Kane scored 14 goals, while he added another 10 in the German Cup.

His 12 goals for England during the season, including six at the World Cup, took his overall tally to 73.

Only Lionel Messi has scored more goals in a single season across Europe’s top leagues, with 82 for Barcelona and Argentina in 2011–12.

Why the Champions League and World Cup Did Not Stop Him

Despite Kane’s outstanding numbers, Bayern failed to win the Champions League after losing 6–5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain. England also suffered a 2–1 defeat to Argentina in their World Cup semi-final.

However, his individual performances proved enough to secure the Ballon d’Or.

According to the report, this is only the fifth time in the past 20 years that the award has gone to a player who did not win either the World Cup, the Champions League, the European Championship or the Copa América in the relevant season.

Kane joins Messi, who won in 2010, 2012 and 2019, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed the award in 2013, among players who achieved the feat.

The result marks a significant rise for Kane, who finished 10th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings.

First Bayern Winner Since 1981

Kane is the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

His achievement comes after a career that began at Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent more than a decade following his senior debut in 2011, before moving to Bayern in 2023.

During his time in Germany, he has won two Bundesliga titles, two Super Cups and one DFB-Pokal.

His latest individual honour places him among a select group of English players to have won football’s most prestigious individual award.

Tuchel Hails England Captain

England manager Thomas Tuchel congratulated Kane, saying his performances had long spoken for themselves.

“I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago, but I’m delighted to see that you have now been formally recognised by the football world,” Tuchel said.

He added that Kane’s achievement was particularly special because he was the first Englishman in 25 years to win the award.

Tuchel also praised Kane’s leadership of the national team and said he hoped the striker would enjoy the moment with his loved ones before returning to football.