England captain Harry Kane has won his first men’s Ballon d’Or, narrowly finishing ahead of France international Kylian Mbappé in one of the closest contests in the award’s history. The final voting figures, released on October 30, showed that Kane secured the honour with a lead of just 28 points.
The Bayern Munich striker collected 1,055 points, while Real Madrid forward Mbappé finished second with 1,027. The result marked a significant milestone for English football, with Kane becoming the first Englishman to receive the prestigious individual award since Michael Owen in 2001.
Although the headline margin was narrow, the voting figures showed that Kane received more first-place selections from the international jury. He topped 40 ballots, compared with 23 for Mbappé.
Kane’s Consistent Season Earns Recognition
Kane’s award followed an outstanding 2025–26 campaign for Bayern Munich and the England national team. He scored 73 goals across club and international competitions, establishing himself among Europe’s most productive forwards.
His performances helped Bayern retain their Bundesliga title and complete a domestic treble. He also finished as the German top-flight’s leading scorer for the third consecutive season and registered 14 goals in the Champions League, where Bayern reached the semi-finals.
Kane’s contribution extended to international football. He scored six goals at the FIFA World Cup as England secured a third-place finish, adding another major achievement to his season.
The striker also received the Men’s Striker of the Year award at the ceremony, recognising his goal-scoring record during the campaign.
Mbappé Finishes Close Behind
Mbappé remained in contention until the final voting totals were revealed. The French forward earned 1,027 points after scoring 42 goals for Real Madrid during the season.
He also made history at the World Cup, becoming the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 22 career goals. His performances helped make the contest with Kane particularly competitive.
However, the difference in first-place selections proved important. Kane received 40 votes for the top position, while Mbappé was ranked first on 23 ballots.
The 28-point gap was the smallest margin under the award’s current voting system. It was also the fourth-closest finish between the leading two players across the Ballon d’Or’s 70-year history.
Lamine Yamal Takes Third Place
Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal completed the top three with 881 points, finishing 174 points behind Kane. The young Spain international had an impressive campaign, helping Barcelona win La Liga and contributing to Spain’s World Cup triumph.
Rodri finished fourth with 726 points, followed by Lionel Messi, who collected 612 points. Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia secured sixth place with 541 points, while teammate Ousmane Dembélé finished seventh.
Erling Haaland, Michael Olise and Fabián Ruiz completed the top ten.
How the Ballon d’Or Voting Works
The men’s award is decided by a panel of journalists representing the 100 highest-ranked nations in FIFA’s rankings. Each voter selects ten players, with points distributed according to their position on the ballot.
The first-ranked player receives 15 points, followed by 12 for second place and 10 for third. The remaining positions receive progressively fewer points, down to one point for tenth place.
Kane’s victory reflects the strength of his performances across the season and gives England another Ballon d’Or winner after a 25-year wait. His narrow victory over Mbappé also made the 2026 voting result one of the most closely contested editions of the modern award.
