Kane Claims Football’s Top Prize, Putellas Wins Women’s Award

Harry Kane’s 73 goals in 65 games helped the Bayern Munich striker win the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or. Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women’s prize for a third time. The awards were handed out in London on Monday, October 26. It was Kane’s first win and the first for an Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001. ^2,9

Kane scored 61 goals for Bayern and 12 for England during the season, according to reports, as the club won domestic league and cup titles. He also recorded eight assists in 65 appearances. The 33-year-old beat Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, who finished second, and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, who came third. Putellas, who plays for London City Lionesses, had previously won in 2021 and 2022. ^7,9

Kane’s win matters because the award is a rare individual prize in a team sport. It came after years of waiting for major trophies. He joined Bayern in 2023 after a long spell at Tottenham, where he became the club’s leading scorer but did not win a major club trophy. Kane’s first Ballon d’Or also comes despite reports that Bayern and England fell short of the biggest prizes last season. The result shows how strongly voters weighed his goals and steady performance. ^9,13

The result was briefly clouded before the ceremony: France Football’s website published draft articles naming Kane, Mbappé and Yamal as winners, then removed them. A spokesperson said the profiles had been prepared for nominees and did not show the result. Once the ceremony confirmed the awards, the confusion was settled. Kane now returns to Bayern with the trophy, while Putellas adds a third women’s title to her record. ^12,16