Kane's 73 Goals Bring England First Ballon d'Or in 25 Years

Harry Kane scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025-26 season, and on Monday that tally carried him to the Ballon d'Or. At 33, the Bayern Munich and England captain took the stage in London to accept the award for the best player in world football.

His performance in a single season for Bayern produced 61 goals in 51 games across all competitions. Bayern won both the league title and the cup that year. Kane then scored six more times for England during the World Cup, leading the national team to the semi-finals before adding the final tally to reach 73.

The award marks the first time an English player has won it since Michael Owen took the honor in 2001, a gap of 25 years. "Wow, wow, wow!" Kane said after taking the stage. "I am almost speechless. Being here in London makes it extra special. It feels like a good omen for me tonight. Thank you to everyone who voted for you. I can imagine it was tough this year."

Kane moved to Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023. The transfer brought the club trophies it had chased for years. His path to Monday's award began earlier, when he was a young player sent out on several loan spells while trying to establish himself at Tottenham. He developed into a forward who scores all types of goals and also sets them up for teammates.

Other players had strong cases for the prize. Kylian Mbappe set scoring records at the World Cup, and Lamine Yamal helped Spain win the tournament. The voters still chose Kane, whose output held steady across the entire season rather than peaking in short bursts.

Kane already holds England's record for international goals and its record for goals at the World Cup. Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women's award for the third time after Barcelona took the treble and the Spanish Super Cup in 2025-26. Putellas moved to London City Lionesses in July, ending a 14-year run at Barcelona.