England head coach Thomas Tuchel led the tributes to Harry Kane after he became the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or.
The Bayern Munich striker saw off competition from Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal to become only the fifth Englishman to be honoured with the award.
"Congratulations Harry on a deserved Ballon d'Or!" said Tuchel.
"I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago, but I'm delighted to see that you have now been formally recognised by the football world.
"To become the first Englishman to win this huge honour in 25 years makes it extra special and we are lucky to have you as our leader.
"I know you will enjoy this moment with your loved ones and then get back to doing what you do best - scoring goals and winning football matches."
Prince William, patron of the Football Association, also sent his congratulations.
"What a fantastic achievement and so deserved," the prince of Wales wrote on Instagram.
"A brilliant captain, a remarkable player and someone who has given football fans across the world so many unforgettable moments."
Jamie Carragher, who was a team-mate of Michael Owen when he won the Ballon d'Or in 2001, felt it was long overdue.
"Absolutely delighted. What a career he's had, what a player he is, and as a country, we haven't got enough Ballon d'Or winners," he told Sky Sports.
"My former team-mate Michael Owen was the last to win it in 2001, so it's been a long wait.
"But in terms of Harry Kane, and I think Jude Bellingham, who's going to be a future Ballon d'Or winner, we do have two of the greatest players of their era. I'm delighted for Kane and the country."
Carragher felt Kane's move to the Bundesliga three years ago helped tip the scales in his favour.
"It's a move he needed to make. I thought he might be obsessed with the Premier League goalscoring record, but he's obsessed with goalscoring records, not just that one," he added.
"But it also gives him a great chance of winning the Champions League and being involved in Ballon d'Or selections.
"There's no way Harry Kane could've won the Ballon d'Or if he was playing for Tottenham."
Former France forward and Ballon d'Or ceremony co-host Thierry Henry said: "I would always back my fellow Frenchmen but I have to say something about Harry Kane.
"I have seen him since the beginning. He had to suffer really hard to achieve what he has achieved. A worthy winner, well done."