Harry Kane has etched his name into football history after becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or, capping a remarkable season with the coveted individual award at a ceremony in London.

The Bayern Munich striker claimed the honour following an extraordinary campaign in which he scored 73 goals for club and country, earning recognition from France Football, the French magazine responsible for presenting the award.

Kane’s triumph ends a long wait for England, with former Liverpool forward Michael Owen the last English player to win the Ballon d’Or in 2001. The Bayern star now joins an illustrious list of English winners that includes Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan.

The England captain emerged ahead of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, securing the award after a season defined by his outstanding goalscoring exploits.

Overwhelmed by the achievement, Kane expressed his gratitude to the organisers and voters, describing the occasion as particularly special because the ceremony was held in his home city.

“Wow, I’m almost speechless,” an emotional Kane said on stage. “First of all, thanks again to France Football and the Ballon d’Or for this amazing event. Being in London, it is extra special; it felt like a good omen.

“Thank you to everyone for voting for me. I can imagine it was very tough. Thank you to everyone that voted for me.”

Reflecting on his journey to the pinnacle of world football, Kane paid tribute to England, Bayern Munich and former club Tottenham Hotspur, while offering encouragement to young players hoping to follow a similar path.

“It’s just the journey. For any young boy or girl who wants to achieve their dream, anything is possible,” he said.

“I hope my journey, it wasn’t straightforward, I didn’t go straight to the top, I had to experience a lot of loan moves and fight my way to get to where I am now. I hope that can give you inspiration, and thank you very much.”

Kane’s story is one of perseverance, having worked his way through several loan spells before establishing himself among the elite forwards in world football. His latest achievement represents a significant personal milestone and a landmark moment for English football.

However, the build-up to the London ceremony was not without controversy. Just hours before the event, the Ballon d’Or website reportedly published three separate articles naming Kane, Yamal and Mbappé as the winner of the 2026 men’s award, sparking confusion ahead of the official announcement.

The ceremony was also pushed back by 45 minutes, with the start time moved to 8:45 p.m. because of traffic congestion in the British capital.

Despite the pre-ceremony confusion and delay, the spotlight ultimately belonged to Kane, whose remarkable goalscoring record and journey to the top have now been rewarded with football’s most coveted individual prize.