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English striker Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in London, becoming the first Bayern Munich player to claim the prestigious award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981, sport.ORF.at reported. The annual football gala, celebrating its 70th anniversary, also saw Spain’s Alexia Putellas secure her third women’s Ballon d’Or.
Harry Kane secured the Golden Ball following a prolific 2025/26 campaign in which he scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich, capturing both the Bundesliga title and the domestic cup. Skysportaustria.at noted that the 33-year-old forward also added 12 goals for the England national team, including six at the World Cup, where the Three Lions finished in third place.
Speaking in his hometown during the ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre, Kane admitted he was almost speechless, acknowledging the exceptional caliber of his competitors. He emphasized that he was incredibly proud of his performance in 2025/26. Alongside the main trophy, Kane collected the Gerd Müller Trophy as the year’s top goalscorer.
Journalists from the top 100 nations in the FIFA men’s rankings placed Kane ahead of a formidable shortlist compiled by France Football. Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappé finished second in the voting, while Barcelona and Spain teenager Lamine Yamal claimed third place. Skysportaustria.at published the complete rankings, which featured Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in eighth.
Despite missing out on the primary men’s prize, Lamine Yamal secured the Kopa Trophy as the best under-21 male player for the third time. Spain teammate Vicky Lopez won the women’s young player category, extending a dominant night for Iberian football.
Spanish players and coaches collected a heavy share of the honors during the London proceedings. Unai Simon of Athletic Bilbao won the award as the best men’s goalkeeper, while Cata Coll of Barcelona claimed the counterpart award for women. Luis de la Fuente earned the Men’s Coach of the Year award, and Pere Romeu of Barcelona took home the Women’s Coach of the Year trophy.
In the women’s Ballon d’Or voting, Alexia Putellas reclaimed the trophy after three consecutive wins by Aitana Bonmati. Putellas led Barcelona to a Champions League, league, and domestic cup treble before moving to the London City Lionesses in the summer. Ewa Pajor of Barcelona finished second in the women’s voting, with Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw taking third.
Marking its 70-year history, the Ballon d’Or relocated from Paris to London to honor its first recipient, the Englishman Stanley Matthews. UEFA noted the venue shift to the London Palladium Theatre for the October 26 event.
Organizers addressed a situation where pre-prepared articles for all nominees for the event of a victory were prepared in advance.
DAZN broadcast the ceremony live for viewers worldwide, offering free access without requiring a paid subscription following registration. The complete list of official 2026 winners spans multiple categories recognized by France Football and UEFA:
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