Harry Kane has become the fifth English footballer to win the Ballon d’Or, joining an elite group of players to have claimed the prestigious individual award.
The Bayern Munich striker joins Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen as English winners of the award.
Matthews won the Ballon d’Or in 1956, the inaugural year of the award, while Charlton claimed it in 1966.
Keegan won the honour in consecutive years, 1978 and 1979, before former Liverpool striker Owen became the last Englishman to receive the award in 2001.
Kane’s triumph in 2026 ends England’s 25-year wait for a winner and marks a significant milestone in the striker’s career.
The England captain’s achievement places him among the country’s most celebrated footballers, recognised for their outstanding individual performances at the highest level of the game.
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