Harry Kane won the 2025/2026 Ballon d’Or awarded by France Football, claiming world football’s highest individual honor at the historic ceremony in London. The Bayern Munich and England striker finished the season with 73 goals across club and international competitions, second only to Lionel Messi’s benchmark of 82 goals during the 2011/12 campaign.
Harry Kane Claims the Ballon d’Or After Record-Breaking Goal Season
The 2025/2026 award ceremony took place at the London Palladium, marking the first time the event was hosted in England on the home soil of the award’s inaugural winner, Stanley Matthews. Former France international Thierry Henry and British journalist Kate Scott co-hosted the anniversary gala.
Kane entered the evening as the leading contender after capturing the Bundesliga title, German Cup, and German Supercup with Bayern Munich during the 2025/2026 season. He also secured a bronze medal with the England national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His 73 goals cemented his status as the best scorer of the 2025/2026 season.
Lamine Yamal and Luis de la Fuente Lead Spanish Sweep of Supporting Awards
Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal secured the Kopa Trophy as the world’s best under-21 player for the third year. The 19-year-old stood alongside club teammate Vicky López, who claimed the women’s young player prize for the second year in a row.
Luis de la Fuente earned the men’s coach of the year award following Spain’s World Cup triumph. Barcelona boss Pere Roméo took home the women’s coaching prize, while Paris Saint-Germain was named club of the year, with Ousmane Dembélé accepting the honor.
Matvey Safonov Makes History as Best Goalkeeper Finalist
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov became the first Russian player nominated for the award for the best goalkeeper. Safonov’s season in Paris yielded a UEFA Champions League title, Ligue 1 championship, Intercontinental Cup, Trophée des Champions, and UEFA Super Cup.
Safonov highlighted his campaign during the Intercontinental Cup final against Flamengo by stopping four consecutive penalties in the shootout. Across 27 appearances, he conceded 28 goals and kept 12 clean sheets. Athletic Club and Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon ultimately won the award from a shortlist that included Yassine Bounou, Thibaut Courtois, Joan García, David Raya, Gregor Kobel, Emiliano Martínez, Édouard Mendy, and Vozinha.
France Football Outlines Criteria for the Global Prize
France Football editor-in-chief Vincent García addressed the voting criteria during the broadcast, noting that collective trophies do not serve as the primary metric for the Ballon d’Or. García emphasized that the international panel of journalists evaluates individual performances across the full season rather than team silverware alone.
The award has been presented by France Football since 1956, determined by votes from journalists from different countries. Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or titles, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won five.
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