England captain seeks to end 25-year wait for English winner as Bayern striker leads race ahead of Monday’s ceremony in London
Harry Kane is bidding to make history by becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to win the men’s Ballon d’Or, but Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe are closing in on the Bayern Munich striker ahead of Monday’s ceremony in London.
Kane, 33, is the bookmakers’ favourite after a remarkable season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country, helping Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga and German Cup.
The England captain is seeking to become only the fifth English player to claim football’s most prestigious individual award, following Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen, who last won it for England in 2001.
Victory would also make Kane the first Bayern Munich player to win the award in 45 years.
However, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker faces stiff competition from Yamal, 19, who hopes to become the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner, and Mbappe, whose prolific performances for club and country have strengthened his challenge.
Kane’s outstanding goal-scoring record is central to his bid for the award.
He scored 61 goals for Bayern across all competitions last season, 19 more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. He added 12 goals for England to finish the campaign with 73 goals for club and country.
His performances helped Bayern secure a domestic double, winning both the Bundesliga and the German Cup. The German champions also reached the Champions League semi-finals before losing 6-5 on aggregate to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Kane also claimed the European Golden Shoe for the second time, having previously won it in his debut season at Bayern in 2023/24.
At international level, he scored six goals during England’s run to the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, becoming the country’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament. England eventually secured the bronze medal by defeating Mbappe’s France in the third-place play-off.
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has backed Kane to win the award, pointing to his exceptional goal tally, Bayern’s domestic success and England’s World Cup campaign.
Carragher said Kane deserved the prize after scoring 73 goals in a season and winning the domestic double with Bayern.
Former England international Paul Merson also favoured Kane, although he acknowledged Yamal’s achievements with Barcelona and Spain.
Merson said he hoped Kane would win, noting that the young Barcelona forward could have several more opportunities to claim the award in the coming years.
Other pundits, including Tim Sherwood, Sue Smith, Michael Dawson and Clinton Morrison, have also backed the England captain, praising his consistency, leadership and remarkable finishing.
Mbappe remains a serious challenger after another prolific campaign for Real Madrid and France.
The French captain scored 58 goals for club and country, including 25 in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League.
His 15 Champions League goals were one more than Kane managed, despite Real Madrid exiting the competition in the quarter-finals.
Mbappe further strengthened his individual credentials at the World Cup, scoring 10 goals to claim the Golden Boot. He also became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, taking his tally to 22 goals.
However, the forward failed to win a major team trophy with either Real Madrid or France during the season under consideration.
Despite that setback, his recent surge in the bookmakers’ rankings has made the contest more competitive, with Mbappe moving into second place behind Kane.
At just 19, Yamal is aiming to become the youngest-ever winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or.
The Barcelona winger won La Liga last season and helped Spain lift the World Cup, giving him a strong claim despite scoring fewer goals than Kane and Mbappe.
Yamal recorded 25 goals and 20 assists for club and country, taking his total goal involvements to 45. Kane registered 81, while Mbappe managed 71.
An injury threatened to disrupt Yamal’s World Cup campaign after he suffered a hamstring problem in April. He missed the remainder of Barcelona’s season before returning as a substitute in Spain’s opening match against Cape Verde.
He made his first start six days later, scoring Spain’s opening goal in their victory over Saudi Arabia.
Despite the interrupted preparation, Yamal led Europe’s top five leagues in dribbles during the 2025/26 season, completing 265. He also recorded the most dribbles at the World Cup, with 58.
His creativity, close control and ability to beat defenders have established him as one of the game’s outstanding young talents.
However, his lower goal tally compared with Kane and Mbappe could prove significant in a tightly contested race.
The result could also mark the third consecutive year that a first-time winner claims the men’s prize, following years of dominance by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For Kane, victory would end England’s 25-year wait for another winner and reward a season defined by prolific scoring and domestic success.
Yamal, meanwhile, has the opportunity to make history as the youngest recipient, while Mbappe hopes his remarkable goal-scoring exploits will be enough to secure the honour.
With all three boasting compelling individual achievements, Monday’s ceremony promises a closely fought contest, although Kane enters the race as the favourite.
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