LONDON — Harry Kane has ended a 25-year drought for England, capturing the prestigious Ballon d’Or on Monday night following a season of unprecedented scoring dominance. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker, who netted 73 goals across all competitions for club and country, becomes the first English recipient of the award since Michael Owen in 2001.
The ceremony, held fittingly at the London Palladium to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the inaugural winner, Stanley Matthews, saw the city erupt in celebration. Fans packed the streets near Oxford Circus to catch a glimpse of the superstar, who remained to sign autographs before the gala and was met with thunderous chants as he departed after midnight.
Kane’s victory was cemented by his relentless form, which saw him spearhead a Bundesliga and German Cup double for Bayern and lead England to a third-place finish at the World Cup—the nation’s best tournament performance in six decades. During that run, he surpassed Gary Lineker to become England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer.
In an emotional acceptance speech, an overwhelmed Kane reflected on the long road to global recognition. “My journey wasn’t straightforward,” he told the audience. “I wasn’t the kid who went straight to the top. I had to experience the downs. I had to fight my way to be the very best right now. Anything is possible with hard work, resilience, and self-belief.”
He took a moment to express deep gratitude to his family, including a charming shout-out to his children, telling them it was “past your bedtime,” and thanking his wife, Kate, calling her his “best friend” and “biggest supporter.”
The elite voting panel placed Kane ahead of a formidable field that included Kylian Mbappé, breakout talent Lamine Yamal—who secured the best young player award for the third consecutive year—2024 winner Rodri, and eight-time victor Lionel Messi.
England coach Thomas Tuchel paid tribute to his captain, stating he had “run out of superlatives” to describe the striker’s impact. “The Three Lions are lucky to have you as our leader,” Tuchel said.
While the night belonged to the men’s game, the women’s Ballon d’Or ceremony saw a historic achievement as well. Spain and London City Lionesses star Alexia Putellas claimed her record-equaling third trophy, capping off a stellar campaign that included a Women’s Champions League title with Barcelona.
For Kane, the celebrations will be brief. With a domestic cup tie looming on Wednesday and an early flight back to Munich, the world’s best player noted he would keep the festivities modest. “It’s massive for England,” Kane said. “To put us back on the map, to put us here with this trophy—I’m extremely proud.”
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