Kinn Crowned with Ballon d'Or

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane was crowned the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner at the ceremony held in London the day before yesterday, following a 2025-2026 season filled with remarkable statistics and achievements, edging out his top rivals, Spanish player Lamine Yamal and French star Kylian Mbappé. Spanish player Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time in her career, further cementing Spain’s dominance over the award, thanks to her role in leading Barcelona to the Women’s Champions League title last season before her transfer to English club London City Lionesses.

The first-ever Ballon d’Or ceremony held on English soil began with a slight hiccup, as London traffic delays postponed the event by about an hour, causing many stars to arrive late. However, the evening ended on a high note for England’s top football star, Harry Kane, who was honored with the highest accolade of his career so far.

Speaking after receiving the award, Kane said: “Without you (my Bayern Munich teammates) and the rest of the squad, this wouldn’t have been possible. You push me to improve, as does the competition we share together. So, thank you very much.”

The 33-year-old player, who won only the German Bundesliga title last season, was primarily rewarded for his exceptional goal-scoring performance. Kane scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich, which reached the Champions League semi-finals, bringing his total to 73 goals when including his strikes for the England national team, which finished third in the 2026 World Cup. With this win, Kane became the first English player to claim the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001. Only Argentine Lionel Messi, who scored 82 goals in the 2010-2011 season, has outscored him in a single campaign.

Among the other nominees, Spanish player Lamine Yamal may have been affected by his modest individual performance at the World Cup, where he scored just one goal despite his country winning the title, as well as Barcelona’s exit in the Champions League quarter-finals. He compensated for this by winning the Best Young Player award for the third consecutive year.

French star Kylian Mbappé paid the price for not winning any trophies during the 2026 season, despite his outstanding individual numbers. He topped the scoring charts in both La Liga and the Champions League and became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history.

Spain also dominated the other awards. The Best Coach award went to Luis de la Fuente, manager of the World Cup-winning “La Roja” national team. In the Goalkeeper category, Spanish player Unai Simon, also part of the North American World Cup-winning squad, took the prize. Spanish player Cata Coll won the Best Female Goalkeeper award, while Bery Romeo was named Best Coach in the women’s category for her role in Barcelona’s success last season.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain, winners of the Champions League for the second consecutive season, claimed the Best Club award, repeating their achievement from 2025.