Harry Kane claimed the first Ballon d’Or of his career on Monday night, taking center stage at France Football’s prestigious annual ceremony, held this year in London.
The England captain was honored for a remarkable season with Bayern Munich, where his prolific scoring went hand in hand with major silverware. Kane was a driving force behind the Bavarians’ triumphant campaign, which delivered the Bundesliga title, the German Cup and the German Super Cup.
His clinical finishing proved decisive. Kane ended the league season with 36 goals, a tally that also earned him the European Golden Shoe and underscored his status as the most lethal striker on the continent.
The award crowns a season of collective success with the highest individual honor in the game, placing Kane at the summit of world football for the first time. The former Tottenham captain, who joined Bayern in 2023, becomes the first Englishman to win the trophy since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a 25-year drought for English football. He is also only the fifth British player ever to receive the award.
In the women’s game, Barcelona reigned supreme. The Catalan side swept all before them last season, completing a historic quadruple of the Champions League, the Liga F title, the Copa de la Reina and the Spanish Super Cup.
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At the heart of that success was the legendary Alexia Putellas, who collected the women’s Ballon d’Or. The 32-year-old, also the creative force of Spain’s national team, orchestrated Barcelona’s clean sweep before departing for London last summer. It is the third Ballon d’Or of her career.