Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas Claim 2026 Ballon d'Or Titles at 70th Anniversary Ceremony in London

Established by France Football in 1956, the Ballon d'Or marked its 70th anniversary on October 26, 2026. Organizers France Football and UEFA moved the ceremony from its traditional Paris home to the London Palladium Theatre. This venue change honored the award's inaugural 1956 winner, England's Sir Stanley Matthews. The 2026 voting window evaluated performances from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, encompassing the domestic club season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Harry Kane became the first Englishman to capture the men's prize since Michael Owen in 2001, joining Matthews, Bobby Charlton, and two-time winner Kevin Keegan. Kane also became the first player in history to win both the main Ballon d'Or and the Gerd Müller Trophy in the same night. Meanwhile, Alexia Putellas added to her 2021 and 2022 titles to claim a record-equaling third Women's Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Women's Super League player to hold the trophy.

1. Harry Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for his club and country during the 2025-26 season. He received the Gerd Müller Trophy as the season's top goalscorer. On October 26, 2026, Kane accepted the Ballon d'Or at the Palladium Theatre in London.

2. Lamine Yamal received the Men's Young Talent of the Year award. The ceremony named Luis de la Fuente the men's coach of the year. The judges also selected Unai Simon as the men's goalkeeper of the year.

3. Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Award for his humanitarian work. Cata Coll earned the title of Women's Goalkeeper of the Year. Vicky Lopez won the Women's Best Young Player award for the second consecutive year.

4. Charlyn Corral of CF Pachuca and Mexico won the Women's Striker of the Year award, and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka won the Socrates award for his humanitarian work.

1. Harry Kane won the Ballon d'Or without capturing the UEFA Champions League or the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where England finished third. Seventeen of his club goals came from penalty kicks, and runner-up Kylian Mbappe scored more goals at the World Cup. Furthermore, the London ceremony began 45 minutes late after the official website mistakenly published winner announcements for Kane, Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal hours early.

2. Despite winning the 2026 World Cup and sweeping the coaching and goalkeeping prizes through Luis de la Fuente and Unai Simon, Spain failed to produce the main Ballon d'Or winner. Lamine Yamal dropped from second place to third in the overall voting.

3. Journalist voting panels handed every major voted women's honor to FC Barcelona players, including Alexia Putellas, Cata Coll, and repeat winner Vicky Lopez. The results drew scrutiny for favoring collective team trophies and top-ranked national sides over individual scoring output, leaving Poland's Ewa Pajor in second place and Jamaica's Khadija Shaw in third.

4. Charlyn Corral secured the Women's Striker of the Year title only because the award relies strictly on goal statistics rather than the journalist ballots that favored European leagues.