Harry Kane wins Ballon d'Or with record 73-goal season

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday.

The Bayern Munich and England striker received the prize after finishing the 2025-26 season with 73 goals for club and country.

This total marked the highest individual scoring output for the award in recent memory.

Kane is the first English player to receive the honor since Michael Owen won it in 2001.

The award recognized a campaign in which Kane scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich.

During that season, the German club won both the domestic league and the cup.

Kane also played a central role for England at the 2026 World Cup.

He scored six goals during the tournament and led his team to the semi-finals.

The competition included other high-profile candidates who had strong seasons.

Kylian Mbappe set new scoring records at the World Cup.

Lamine Yamal helped Spain win the World Cup title.

Voters selected Kane based on his consistent performance across the entire calendar year rather than a single tournament surge. This approach favored his sustained productivity over specific tournament brilliance. His goal tally of 73 combined his club efforts with his international appearances for England. The award acknowledged his ability to score in high-pressure matches while maintaining a high volume of goals throughout the season. Kane addressed the crowd in London after accepting the trophy. He described the moment as special because the ceremony took place in his home country. He thanked the voters for choosing him in a year with strong competition from other players. The event also honored women's football with the Ballon d'Or Féminin. Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women's award for the third time. Her victory followed a treble-winning season with Barcelona in the 2025-26 campaign. Putellas also won the Spanish Super Cup before leaving Barcelona. She joined London City Lionesses in July after spending 14 years at the Spanish club. The selection of Kane and Putellas reflected the depth of talent in both men's and women's football during the 2025-26 period. Both players demonstrated consistent high performance across multiple competitions throughout the year.