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An extraordinary night for Harry Kane – and for everyone at FC Bayern. The German double winners’ striker has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or award as the best player in the world.
Kane is the first Bayern player to receive the prestigious honour since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 45 years ago. Among the many guests from world football’s elite at the gala in London, president Herbert Hainer, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, sporting director Christoph Freund as well as women’s football director Bianca Rech applauded in the crowd – board member for sport Max Eberl had to cancel his trip to the English capital at short notice due to a cold. The Munich delegation was completed by fellow nominees Michael Olise, Luis Diaz, Dayot Upamecano, Klara Bühl, Pernille Harder and Momoko Tanikawa. Vincent Kompany, a candidate for Coach of the Year, stayed at home and received warm applause from the audience.
Best striker too
As well as the main Ballon d’Or prize, Kane also won the Gerd Müller Trophy as the best goalscorer in the 2025/26 season. Olise finished in the top 10, Diaz placed 24th and Upamecano 26th. In the women’s ranking, Harder made it into the top 10 in seventh place, while Bühl (12th) and Tanikawa (23rd) rounded off the result. Lennart Karl came fourth in the vote for the young talent of the year. “It’s been the best season of my career,” said Kane at the London Palladium. “I want to thank everyone who pushes me every day in training and supports me day in, day out. “A special thanks go to my family and my wife Kate – it would not be possible without you.” He received the trophy to loud chants of “Harry, Harry, Harry” in the auditorium. Kane congratulated all the winners of the evening and also sent a special message to his coach Kompany, as well as paying tribute to his teammates at Bayern: “It’s an honour to play for this club and I’m glad to be bringing this trophy back to Munich.”
Kane, Olise and Co at the gala in London:
Kane will be given a special welcome by FC Bayern before Wednesday’s DFB Cup match against Magdeburg at the Allianz Arena as well as being honoured at the Bundesliga top-of-the-table clash against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. He joins Gerd Müller (1970), Franz Beckenbauer (1972/1976) and Rummenigge (1980/1981) in the exclusive list of Ballon d’Or winners from Munich.
‘Proud day for FC Bayern’
Herbert Hainer, president: “This is a proud day for FC Bayern. Harry Kane can do it all – and he scores goals, goals and more goals. He now joins a line with Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – that says everything about our history. The club and Harry Kane have got together, grown together and achieved the highest aims together. We are proud that this all-round outstanding sportsman and person is part of our FC Bayen family. Harry Kane carries his teams. Congratulations to all our other nominees: to our women’s and men’s players as well as to Vincent Kompany!”
Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO: “Harry Kane more than deserves this title. He’s been breaking one record after the other for years, and beyond his many goals and assists, we really value the brilliant character he brings. For a player from a German club to win the Ballon d’Or for the first time in 30 years is a strong signal for the Bundesliga: Harry Kane is one of the great personalities of world football and a role model to all, far beyond the game. Overall, our many nominees from the men’s and women’s team, including our coach Vincent Kompany, prove what outstanding seasons our sides had.”
Max Eberl, board member for sport: “Harry Kane is an asset to FC Bayern and would be to any team in the world. He takes responsibility, on the pitch and in the dressing room; he’s someone who everyone else follows, day after day. This title is the reward for his impressive career achievements as a whole. Harry deserves every honour in the world, and the fact that he has been presented with the Ballon d’Or here today in his home city sends a wonderful message to everyone, that you should never give up. We’re delighted with all the nominations – FC Bayern is a stage for world-class talent.”
Christoph Freund, sporting director: “We’re all delighted with Harry Kane’s performance. It’s not just his goals that make him an exceptional footballer, and it’s not just on the pitch that he’s a special character. Harry is a great guy, you very rarely come across someone like him: world-class yet so down-to-earth. Harry has taken the centre-forward role to a whole new level – he’s an inspiration, especially for young players. He’s undoubtedly one of the greatest in football history.”
Bianca Rech, women’s sporting director: “We’re all very pleased about the three nominations in total for our players, led by Pernille Harder, as well as our first nomination as team of the year. FC Bayern Women are establishing themselves more and more at the top internationally, and we take this night in London as an incentive. Congratulations also to Harry Kane on behalf of FC Bayern Women! Personalities like him are an inspiration for all sportsmen and sportswomen.”
Robert Lewandowski finished second in the 2021 Ballon d’Or, while Manuel Neuer (2014) and Franck Ribéry (2013) both achieved third place. Last year, Kane was listed in 13th place and Olise in 30th. In the vote, one journalist from each country in the top 100 of the FIFA world rankings (top 50 for women) casts a vote. Each person selects 10 players in descending order from a shortlist of 30 players, set in advance by the editorial staff of France Football, members of L'Équipe editorial, a panel of previous winners as well as UEFA ambassadors Luís Figo and Fabio Capello for the men’s trophy and Nadine Keßler for the women’s.
Special Harry Kane shirt printing to celebrate the Ballon d’Or win is available now from the Online Store. This way!
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