Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or as the world’s best footballer, edging out Kylian Mbappé by 28 points in the final voting after scoring 61 goals in 71 appearances during the 2025/26 season with Bayern Munich, El Colombiano reported. The 33-year-old England captain collected the golden trophy at the London Palladium ceremony after leading his country to World Cup semifinals and claiming the European Golden Shoe with 36 Bundesliga goals.
The Vote Count and Voting Margin Behind Kane’s Victory
The English striker finished ahead of Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappé by a 28-point margin, according to Diario AS. Behind the top two, the voting standings placed Lamine Yamal in third, Rodri Hernández in fourth, and Lionel Messi in fifth.
Betting Scandal Prompts Amaury Group Denunciations
The governing bodies behind the award face legal fallout after financial tracker Upside revealed that 12 accounts on Polymarket wagered approximately $265,000 on the exact top-five finish of the ceremony, according to reports by Mundo Deportivo and MARCA. Several of those accounts were created minutes before placing bets that correctly predicted Kane, Mbappé, Yamal, Rodri, and Messi in order, generating roughly $200,000 in profit. In response, the Amaury Group—owner of France Football and L’Équipe—announced it is filing a formal complaint with French police over potential leaks and fraudulent betting.
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Mourinho’s Influence and Career Turning Points
Reflecting on his path to the award in an interview with L’Équipe, cited by Diario AS, Kane credited former Tottenham manager José Mourinho with reshaping his ceiling as an elite forward. During Mourinho’s tenure in North London between November 2019 and April 2021, a conversation about matching the standards of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi sparked a tactical evolution that granted Kane greater positional freedom. The striker also admitted to battling self-doubt during early career loan spells before finally leaving his boyhood club Tottenham for Bayern Munich in 2023.
Bayern Munich Crowd Honours Their Ballon d’Or Winner
Following his return to Germany, Bayern Munich supporters and teammates gave Kane a standing ovation before kickoff at the Allianz Arena prior to a Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund, El Tiempo reported. The English forward displayed his golden trophy on the pitch before missing a penalty in a 2-2 draw that left Bayern level on 18 points at the summit of the German league table. The recognition marked the first time a Bayern player held the individual honour since the club’s previous Ballon d’Or connections.
Trophies Awarded Across Men’s and Women’s Categories
The 70th edition of the gala distributed several other major accolades across European football. Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas claimed the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time in her career. Lamine Yamal collected the Kopa Trophy as the best young men’s player, while Vicky López won the women’s young player honour. Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona won club of the year honours for the men’s and women’s sections respectively, and Harry Kane shared the striker scoring honours with Mexican forward Charlyn Corral.
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