According to a report by ESPN on Monday, October 26, 2026, England captain Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious individual award.

Kane finished ahead of Kylian Mbappe in second place and Lamine Yamal in third, in one of the most open races in the award's history.

The Bayern Munich striker becomes the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a 25-year wait for his country.

Kane's triumph caps a remarkable season, in which he led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and inspired England to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.

The ceremony, held at the London Palladium, marked the first time the 70-year-old award had been staged outside France.

The event began 45 minutes late after traffic congestion delayed guests arriving at the venue.

In a memorable moment, Brazilian legend Ronaldo presented the trophy to Kane, who described himself as "almost speechless" in his acceptance speech.

On the women's side, Alexia Putellas claimed her third career Ballon d'Or, ending Aitana Bonmati's three-year dominance of the award.

Lamine Yamal did not leave empty-handed, winning the young player of the year award for the third consecutive year.

Spain enjoyed a dominant night, with national team coach Luis de la Fuente named best men's coach after guiding the country to World Cup glory.

Other winners included Unai Simon as best men's goalkeeper and Paris Saint-Germain as men's club of the year.

Kane's victory now places him among the game's all-time greats, with fans already debating whether this is the first of many Ballon d'Or trophies to come.