Harry Kane named world's best player at 2026 Ballon d'Or

Striker Harry Kane, 33, was named the world's best player at the 2026 edition of the Ballon d'Or. The ceremony, held on October 26, 2026 at the London Palladium in London, marked the first time the Bayern Munich player has received the trophy from France Football magazine, organized in partnership with UEFA. The award was presented by former Brazilian player Ronaldo Nazário. Kane solidified his victory with an impressive performance during the 2025-26 season, the period between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026. Combining his appearances for the German club and the English national team, the center-forward scored 73 goals in 65 matches. For Bayern, he netted 61 goals in 51 games, a mark that also earned him the Gerd Müller Trophy, awarded to the season's top scorer. The athlete also won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, in addition to receiving the European Golden Shoe. At the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Kane captained England to a third-place finish, scoring six goals in seven matches. The Ballon d'Or vote was conducted by specialized journalists from 100 countries, following criteria of individual performance, collective achievements, and fair play. The podium was completed by Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé in second place and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in third. Among the Brazilians, the highest-ranked was Vinicius Júnior, in 17th place.