Harry Kane wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Who can challenge in 2027?
Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or at the London Palladium on 26 October, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. He is the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001.
Harry Kane smiles after receiving the Ballon d'Or on stage at the London Palladium, 26 October 2026.
Photo by Getty Images. Showing it loads Getty's player, which shares your visit data with Getty Images.
The award covers the 2025/26 season and the 2026 World Cup. According to beIN Sports, Kane scored 73 goals in 65 games for Bayern Munich and England, including 36 in 31 Bundesliga games. Bayern won the Bundesliga and the German Cup, with Kane scoring a hat-trick in the cup final, but lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals. At the World Cup he scored six goals in seven games as England finished third, their best finish since 1966.
"Thank you to everyone who voted for me, I can imagine it was tough," Kane said, as reported by ESPN.
The top 10
- 1. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
- 2. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)
- 3. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
- 4. Rodri (Spain)
- 5. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
- 6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain, Georgia)
- 7. Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
- 8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
- 9. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)
- 10. Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, Spain)
Kylian Mbappé on the red carpet before the ceremony.
Photo by Getty Images. Showing it loads Getty's player, which shares your visit data with Getty Images.
Lamine Yamal speaks on stage after winning the young player award.
Photo by Getty Images. Showing it loads Getty's player, which shares your visit data with Getty Images.
The other awards
- Women's Ballon d'Or: Alexia Putellas (Spain)
- Best young players: Lamine Yamal and Vicky López, both of Barcelona and Spain
- Coaches of the year: Luis de la Fuente, who led Spain to the 2026 World Cup title, and Pere Romeu of Barcelona's women's team
- Clubs of the year: Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona's women's team
- Men's goalkeeper of the year: Unai Simón (Spain)
A close-up of the Ballon d'Or trophy (Rodri's, pictured in 2024).
Photo by Getty Images. Showing it loads Getty's player, which shares your visit data with Getty Images.
Who is on course for 2027?
The 2027 award will judge the 2026/27 season. There is no World Cup or Euro next summer, so the club season will carry most of the weight. Here is where six names stand, as of 26 October.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
Third this year, a World Cup winner with Spain, and the youngest of the six at 19. He had eight goals and six assists in Barcelona's first eight games of the season, and had played more minutes than any of his teammates (Yahoo Sports, 22 September).
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)
Second this year. His 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup took him to 22 in total, the most in the tournament's history (ESPN). Last weekend he scored twice in Real Madrid's win at Camp Nou, reaching 100 goals for the club in 116 games, and he has 14 this season (Real Madrid).
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Eighth this year. Two goals against Ipswich Town on 17 October took him to eight for the season and made him the fastest player to reach 100 non-penalty Premier League goals, in 139 games (Al Jazeera).
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
The 2025 winner finished seventh this year. He injured his left thigh in PSG's 4-2 Champions League win over Barcelona on 20 October and is expected to miss several weeks (Al Jazeera).
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)
Ninth this year, after being voted the Bundesliga's 2025/26 Player of the Season with 15 league goals and 19 assists. He started this season with eight goals and three assists in seven games (Bundesliga.com, 22 September).
Raphinha (Barcelona, Brazil)
Left off this year's 30-man shortlist after hamstring problems and other knocks cost him 26 games last season. Since the shortlist came out he has scored back-to-back hat-tricks against Racing and Sevilla and two goals in a 5-1 Champions League win over Feyenoord, though a thigh problem has raised fresh concern (TNT Sports).
Our take
If we had to pick one today, it is Yamal: third at 19, and Barcelona's most-used player early this season. The strongest case against: Mbappé has the goals, and the win at Camp Nou.
Who do you think is on course to win the Ballon d'Or in 2027?