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Harry Kane Claims First Ballon d'Or, Alexia Putellas Wins Third Ballon d'Or Féminin in Spain-Dominated Ceremony

Harry Kane secured the 2026 men’s Ballon d'Or after an extraordinary season with Bayern Munich. The 33-year-old England striker netted 61 goals across all competitions, including 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga matches. As captain of the English national team, Kane led them to their best World Cup finish in 60 years, achieving third place.

During the ceremony at London Palladium on Monday, Kane expressed his emotion, saying, "I’m almost speechless," and extended gratitude to his teammates, family, and described it as an honor to play for Bayern.

Kane edged out French captain Kylian Mbappé and young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal. Yamal, who finished second to Ousmane Dembélé last year and third this year, received his third consecutive Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under 21. Kane also earned the Striker of the Year award alongside Mexico’s Charlyn Corral from CF Pachuca.

Alexia Putellas Wins Third Ballon d'Or Féminin

On the women’s side, Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas captured the Ballon d'Or Féminin for the third time. She plays for London City Lionesses (formerly Barcelona) and the Spanish national team. Her victory follows a comeback after an ACL injury that kept her out for nearly two years.

Putellas acknowledged the many Barcelona players nominated—five of the ten finalists hailed from Barça—and thanked her loved ones for support during recovery, stating, "I had a tough time and had to learn to walk again on my knee, and you were all there for me, helping me to enjoy the sport again and make me the player I am today."

Her Barcelona teammate Aitana Bonmatí, a three-time winner, missed much of last year due to a broken leg and was absent from the shortlist. Other contenders included Manchester City’s Jamaican forward Khadija Bunny Shaw and Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor from Poland, but Putellas’ influence on Barcelona’s dominant squad helped keep the trophy in Spain.

Ceremony Highlights and Controversies

The ceremony, delayed by 45 minutes, ran long and struggled to hold the audience’s attention. When the broadcast switched to commercial just before announcing the women’s Ballon d'Or, the crowd audibly booed. Earlier, the official Ballon d'Or website mistakenly published stories declaring Kane, Yamal, and Mbappé as winners before the event; those posts were removed prior to the announcement.

The night strongly favored Spanish football, with eight of the twelve awards going to individuals or teams connected to La Liga clubs or the Spanish national teams. FC Barcelona was honored as the best women’s club, with goalkeeper Cata Coll, coach Pere Romeu, and rising star Vicky López receiving awards.

The men’s Spanish team, World Cup champions this summer, also saw recognition: alongside Yamal, coach Luis de la Fuente and goalkeeper Unai Simón earned honors.

From the United States, Rose Lavelle of Gotham FC and the USWNT was the only American finalist, finishing 27th among 30 nominees. This aligns with the Ballon d'Or’s usual European player bias. Another USWNT star, 19-year-old Lyon midfielder Lily Yohannes, was among five finalists for the Young Talent award but lost to Barcelona’s López, who won the Kopa Trophy for a second year. NWSL forwards Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current) and Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride) placed 10th and 18th, respectively.

Lionel Messi, possibly making his final Ballon d'Or appearance after retiring internationally, ranked fifth in the men’s voting. Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d'Or wins since 2009.

Another notable nominee was Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper for Cape Verde, a fan favorite from the recent World Cup. He was nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year but lost to Spain’s Simón.

Full Ballon d'Or Award Winners

  • Young Talent: Vicky López (Barcelona, Spain), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Coach of the Year: Pere Romeu (Barcelona Femení), Luis de la Fuente (Spain men’s national team)
  • Goalkeeper of the Year: Cata Coll (Barcelona, Spain), Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao, Spain)
  • Club of the Year: FC Barcelona (women’s), Paris Saint-Germain (men’s)
  • Top Scorer: Charlyn Corral (CF Pachuca, Mexico), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
  • Ballon d'Or Féminin: Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses, Spain)
  • Ballon d'Or: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)

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