Son Heung-min's departure unleashes the 'goal machine'... Harry Kane's 73 goals secure England's first Ballon d'Or in 25 years, edging out Yamal and Mbappe

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Harry Kane (33, Bayern Munich) has won his first Ballon d'Or, claiming the title of the world's best player.

At the '2026 Ballon d'Or' ceremony held at the Palladium in London, UK, on the 27th (Korean time), Kane was selected as the men's winner, surpassing Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and others.

This marks the first Ballon d'Or win by an English national player since Michael Owen in 2001, a span of 25 years, and is only the fifth time in history. For a Bayern Munich player, it is the first since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981, a gap of 45 years.

Kane, who once formed a legendary partnership with Son Heung-min during his Tottenham Hotspur days, has completely shed the label of 'crownless king' by further elevating his explosive scoring power since his transfer to Munich in 2023.

His overwhelming goal-scoring ability was the decisive factor for the award. While it was widely predicted that players from the World Cup-winning nation would have an advantage in a tournament year, Kane proved himself with individual statistics that surpassed those expectations. In the 2025-2026 season, he recorded 73 goals and 8 assists in 65 official matches across his club and the England national team. In the Bundesliga, he scored 36 goals to claim the Golden Boot for a third consecutive season, and he also netted 14 goals in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).

Not only did he lead his club to a double crown in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, but he also contributed to England's third-place finish at the 2026 FIFA North-Central America World Cup by scoring 6 goals.

Kane, who also won the 'Gerd Muller Trophy' for the best forward of the day, achieving a double crown, stated in his acceptance speech, "This was not possible on my own. It would have been impossible without my teammates, coaching staff, and wife Kate." He added, "Receiving this award in my hometown of London makes it even more special."

Meanwhile, Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses) won the Women's Ballon d'Or for the third time in her career, tying for the most wins in history. The Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under 21, was claimed by Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) for a third consecutive year. The Coach of the Year award (Johan Cruyff Trophy) went to Luis de la Fuente, manager of the Spain national team; the Best Goalkeeper award (Yashin Trophy) went to Unai Simon (Athletic Club); and the Men's Club of the Year was awarded to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original