GUWAHATI: Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane won the Ballon d’Or on Monday, October 26, becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to receive football’s highest individual honour.
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The 33-year-old won the prestigious award in his home city of London, on the occasion of its 70th anniversary, following a record-breaking season for club and country.
Kane finished ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, who was the runner-up, while World Cup winner Lamine Yamal secured third place. Kane also won the Men’s Striker of the Year award.
He is the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001 and the fifth English player overall to receive the honour, following Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.
Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country last season. He helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga and German Cup, completing a domestic double. Bayern also added the German Super Cup to their trophy collection, with Kane scoring a hat-trick against Stuttgart in the German Cup final.
At the World Cup, Kane scored six goals to surpass Gary Lineker as England’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament. He also moved into the top five on the all-time World Cup goalscorers list. England finished third after losing to Argentina in the semi-finals.
Kane’s tally of 73 goals was the second-highest reported single-season total in the Ballon d’Or context, behind Lionel Messi’s 82 goals during the 2011-12 campaign. Messi finished fifth in this year’s Ballon d’Or rankings.
Kane is also the first Bayern Munich player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who claimed it in consecutive years in 1980 and 1981.
Speaking after receiving the award, an emotional Kane thanked his teammates, Bayern Munich, the England squad and his former club Tottenham Hotspur.
“Since I have been with Bayern I have improved as player and as a person. It’s an honour to play for Bayern. To represent you is a real privilege. Glad to be bringing this trophy back to Bayern Munich,” he said.
He also acknowledged Tottenham Hotspur, where he joined the youth setup at the age of 11, saying the club had played a significant role in his journey.
Kane ended his speech by thanking his wife, Kate, for her support throughout his career.
Earlier, Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won her third women’s Ballon d’Or after helping Barcelona secure multiple trophies last season, including the Women’s Champions League.
Putellas, 32, who joined London City Lionesses during the off-season, also helped Spain win the Women’s Nations League last December.
She ended Spain teammate Aitana Bonmati’s three-year reign. Bonmati, who won the women’s award in 2023, 2024 and 2025, was not shortlisted this year after breaking her leg in December.
Putellas had previously won the award in consecutive years in 2021 and 2022 before an anterior cruciate ligament injury interrupted her career.
