Harry Kane Wins 2026 Ballon d’Or Award
England captain Harry Kane has been awarded the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Kathmandu, November 10. The 33-year-old Kane claimed the title of the world’s best player, becoming the fifth English player to receive this prestigious award. He is the first from his country since Michael Owen in 2001 to earn this honor, receiving it at a ceremony in London where he surpassed Kylian Mbappé and Romain Yamal.
Previously, Stanley Matthews won the award in 1956, Bobby Charlton in 1966, and Kevin Keegan claimed it twice in 1978 and 1979. After receiving the award, Kane spoke about the ups and downs of his career, emphasizing that patience and hard work were essential to achieving success. He also shared that, in the beginning, he was not seen as a potential superstar, which required him to maintain confidence and determination.
England’s coach Thomas Tuchel expressed happiness over Kane’s achievement, while British Prince William praised him as an outstanding captain and extraordinary player. Last season, Kane made history by scoring 61 goals in 51 games for his club, Bayern Munich—the highest number of goals scored by a player in a single season for the club. Despite experiencing defeats in the last World Cup and the Champions League semifinals, Kane still managed to win the Ballon d’Or.
Kane is the first player from Bayern Munich to win the Ballon d’Or since 1981. Following his success, the arches of Wembley Stadium were illuminated with golden lights on Monday night.