LONDON — Harry Kane was crowned the world’s best footballer on Monday night, becoming the first English player to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.
The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker collected the honor at a star-studded ceremony in London, beating out Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who finished second and third respectively.
Kane joins an elite group as only the fifth Englishman in history to claim the award, following Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978, 1979), and Owen. Across the UK, he joins Scotland’s Denis Law (1964) and Northern Ireland’s George Best (1968) in footballing immortality. He is also the first Bayern Munich player to win the trophy since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.
Reflecting on his journey, the England captain spoke candidly about overcoming early career skepticism and self-doubt.
”Not many people would have thought it, and maybe even I wouldn’t have thought I’d be this far,” Kane told DAZN. “I had to go through many ups and downs, especially early in my career. I was never the person that people thought was going to be the superstar like some of the guys now.
”I had to bide my time and work hard… I had to show self-belief and determination. I think that grounded me even when I did make it at the highest level to keep improving.”
A Historic Goal-Scoring Campaign
Kane’s award comes on the back of a record-shattering individual season:
- Club Record: 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich — the most ever scored by a Bayern player in a single campaign.
- Overall Tally: 73 goals and 8 assists in 65 appearances across club and international fixtures.
- Elite Company: His single-season goal haul is the second-highest ever registered by a player in Europe’s top five leagues.
Remarkably, Kane captured football’s individual pinnacle despite heartbreak in team competitions, having fallen short in both the World Cup and Champions League semi-finals last season.
National Pride & Tributes
Tributes poured in immediately following the announcement:
“He is a brilliant captain and a remarkable player.”
— Prince William
“Delighted to see Harry win… it is a huge honour.”
— Thomas Tuchel, England Manager
To mark the historic achievement of the Three Lions captain, Wembley Stadium’s iconic arches were illuminated in gold on Monday night.
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