Kane, Putellas Win Top Honours at 2026 Ballon d'Or

On Monday, Harry Kane of England became the first Ballon d'Or winner in British history at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, where he secured 73 goals and major domestic and international trophies for his club and country. In only her third win, Alexia Putellas of Spain extended Spain's dominance of the award by leading Barcelona to last season's Champions League and then moving to London City Lionesses.

Harry Kane from England became the first Ballon d'Or winner in 25 years, claiming the honor in front of his home crowd in London.

Ballon d'Or Success

The award was presented to Kane, who won over the likes of Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe. Alexia Putellas, recognizing her historic achievements, was awarded the women's Ballon d'Or for a third time, further cementing Spain's dominance in the field. Despite the Ballon d'Or ceremony starting off with traffic-induced delays, the evening concluded with joy for Kane as he collected his career's highest accolade. Kane, who netted 73 goals in 65 games for both club and national team last year, highlighted the support of his teammates as critical to his success, expressing gratitude towards them. On the women's side, Putellas, who returned from an ACL injury, emphasized the value of each moment and the pride she felt in winning the award again. The ceremony also saw winners for young talent, club coaches, and special humanitarian awards. Yamal made a memorable fashion statement, while Mbappe’s record year for goals failed to secure the Ballon d'Or. Luis de la Fuente and Pere Romeu won the men's and women's coach of the year, respectively, following Spain's success at the World Cup. Bukayo Saka from Arsenal received the Socrates award for his humanitarian efforts, and Paris Saint-Germain secured the men's club of the year.