In brief
Harry Kane took home the Ballon d'Or in a glittering ceremony in London, ending a 25‑year wait for an English winner. The forward netted 61 goals in 51 club matches, setting a Bayern Munich record, and helped England reach the World Cup semi‑finals. His milestone places him alongside legends such as Ronaldo and Messi, while peers Real Madrid's Mbappé and Barcelona’s Yamal finish behind him. The triumph fuels hopes of a golden generation for English football and sparks debates over football’s evolving awards culture.
In a dazzling ceremony in London, Harry Kane lifted the Ballon d'Or trophy, becoming the first Englishman to win since Michael Owen in 2001.
Kane’s season was historic, scoring 61 goals in 51 club matches for Bayern Munich – the most by any player in a single campaign for the German giants.
He also led England deep into the World Cup, helping the squad reach the semi‑finals before a narrow loss.
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé finished second, while Barcelona star Lamine Yamal secured third place – a tight top‑three contest.
The win injects new energy into English football and sparks speculation about the future of the Ballon d’Or’s global prestige.
Read more about how Harry Kane ended England's men’s trophy drought.
