Harry Kane wins first Ballon d'Or as Alexia Putellas secures third trophy

England captain Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or on Monday in London, ending a 25-year drought for his country, while Spain's Alexia Putellas claimed her third women's award.

The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker received the honor at the London Palladium after scoring 73 goals in 65 games for club and country last season. Deutsche Welle and France 24 reported that Kane is the first Englishman to win the prestigious prize since Michael Owen in 2001. During the ceremony, an emotional Kane noted that his career path was not straightforward and required him to fight through loan moves to reach the top.

Kane's record-breaking season included leading Bayern Munich to a Bundesliga and German Cup double, as well as captaining England to a third-place finish at the World Cup. According to France 24, Kane scored six times during the tournament to become England's highest World Cup scorer. He won the vote over other top nominees, including Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi.

In the women's category, Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d'Or Feminin for the third time, having previously secured the award in 2021 and 2022. The 32-year-old midfielder was recognized for her performance with Barcelona, where she helped the team win the Champions League and a domestic treble. Reuters confirmed her victory, which followed her offseason move to the London City Lionesses.

Putellas' win ended the three-year streak of her teammate Aitana Bonmati. France 24 reported that Bonmati, the winner in 2025, was not on this year's shortlist after suffering a broken leg in December. Putellas also contributed to Spain's victory in the Women's Nations League last December before reclaiming the individual trophy.

Background

The Ballon d'Or ceremony was held in London for the first time to honor the 70th anniversary of the inaugural winner, England's Stanley Matthews. Harry Kane joins a group of English winners that includes Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan, and Michael Owen.