Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or at the London Palladium on 26 October, becoming the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Alexia Putellas won the women’s award for the third time.
Kane’s first Ballon d’Or followed a season of 73 goals for club and country. He also received the men’s striker award. His club highlighted 61 goals in 51 competitive appearances for Bayern, underlining the scoring record behind the individual honour.
Putellas added to the awards she won in 2021 and 2022, matching Aitana Bonmatí’s three women’s titles. Her recognition followed the 2025/26 season with Barcelona; she moved to London City Lionesses in July. The award period and her current club therefore need to be distinguished.
The ceremony marked the prize’s 70th anniversary and its first staging in London. Other honours went to Yamal as men’s young talent, Unai Simón as men’s goalkeeper and Luis de la Fuente as men’s coach. Bukayo Saka received the Sócrates Award for solidarity initiatives.
The result replaces the uncertainty in the pre-ceremony preview. Kane’s win ends a quarter-century wait for an English recipient, while Putellas returns to the top of the women’s individual awards. This article has been updated with the confirmed winners while retaining its original publication address.
