Harry Kane Rips Up the History Books With 2026 Gerd Muller Trophy Triumph

Harry Kane took home the 2026 Gerd Müller Trophy for his sensational 2025–26 campaign for club and country, becoming just the second player in history to win the prize twice.

Since its inception in 2021, the Gerd Müller Trophy is awarded to the player with the most goals scored across a singular campaign. Named after the late German legend, Gerd Müller, the honor recognizes the world’s best goalscorers on the domestic and international stages.

Kane arrived home in London on Monday knowing he would at least hear his name called out once at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. The 33-year-old scored a stunning 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England last season, crowning him as the sport’s top goalscorer in 2025–26.

Along the way, Kane helped Bayern Munich add another Bundesliga title to their trophy cabinet. The defending German champions also won the DFB-Pokal and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup.

For England, Kane was just as lethal, especially when it mattered most at the 2026 World Cup. The striker scored six goals in seven appearances en route to the Three Lions’ third-place finish. He could have added even more to his tally had he played against France in the competition’s frenetic third-place match, but he sat out while others inflated their hauls.

Still, it was more than enough to crown Kane the 2026 Gerd Müller Trophy winner.

Every Gerd Müller Trophy Winner

The inaugural winner of the Gerd Müller Trophy—back when it was called Striker of the Year—was Robert Lewandowski. It was a consolation prize for the lethal Pole, who was robbed of winning the Ballon d’Or a year prior when the whole event was canceled.

Lewandowski went back-to-back, claiming the award in 2022 as well. His 57 goals for club and country was enough to beat out the sport’s other top strikers, but it wasn’t enough to best his 69 goals from the year prior.

The crown changed hands in 2023, going to Erling Haaland. The Norway international led Manchester City to a historic treble in 2022–23, scoring 52 goals in a sky blue shirt. Four additional goals on the international stage gave him an untouchable tally of 56 that season.

History was made by Kane and Kylian Mbappé in 2024 when they had to share the honor. Both players found the back of the net 52 times for club and country, but only the English striker made the trip to Paris to receive the award in person after Mbappé and Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony.

Viktor Gyökeres became the next No. 9 to receive the Gerd Müller Trophy for a career-best season at Sporting CP. His 63 goals for the Portuguese outfit and Sweden were enough to earn him a blockbuster transfer to Arsenal.

Rounding out the winner’s circle is Kane again. Not only is he now only the second player to win the award twice, but he is also the only player to win the award with over 70 goals.