The global soccer elite gathered at London’s historic Palladium Theatre for the annual Ballon d’Or ceremony, braving a cold, rainy evening and heavy traffic to honor the top individual performances in the sport over the past season. Fans turned out in large numbers around the red carpet, with young supporters scaling nearby structures and security barriers to glimpse arriving stars. The scene of hundreds of kids damaging security barriers and climbing buildings to get a better view of their heroes arriving on Monday was another reminder of how much this sport means to fans.
In the men’s category, 33-year-old striker Harry Kane claimed his first Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of fellow finalists Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Kane delivered an exceptional campaign for Bayern Munich and England, scoring 73 goals in 65 competitive matches and helping his club secure a domestic league and cup double. He is the first English player to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001. ⚽️ sign up for THE beautiful game by sports ⚽️.
An emotional Kane was greeted on stage by chants of “Harry, Harry” from the home audience. Reflecting on the honor, he remarked, “It being here in London as well has made it extra special.” He extended his gratitude to the panel, adding, “Thank you very much. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was really tough this year – some incredible players I was up against.”
The women’s Ballon d’Or Féminin was awarded to 32-year-old midfielder Alèxia Putellas for the third time in her career. Putellas served as the captain and central figure of a dominant Barcelona Femení side that achieved a historic quadruple, capturing the domestic league title, two domestic cups, and the Women’s Champions League. Following that successful season, she transferred to London City Lionesses in England during the summer window. Where she was the heartbeat of the club’s unrivaled success, the 32-year-old was expected to beat her rivals after another dominant season with Barcelona Femení.
During her acceptance speech, Putellas addressed the audience and praised her team: “I don’t know what to say, too many things. Congrats to all the nominees, congrats to all the winners. That so many Barça players were nominated says a lot about the season we had. … It was my honor to be your captain.”
The Ballon d’Or winners are selected by an international panel of designated journalists representing their respective nations. Each voting journalist submits a ranked list of their top 10 players, with points awarded on a descending scale according to each player’s position on the ballot. With points distributed on a descending scale depending on their place in the list, each voter ranks their 10 best players.
Spanish football established a wide presence across several other individual honors. Barcelona’s 19-year-old winger Lamine Yamal was recognized as the Men’s Young Talent of the Year for the third consecutive year, following a season in which he secured La Liga with Barcelona and World Cup victory with Spain. Barcelona Femení’s Vicky López earned the Women’s Young Talent of the Year award for the second straight year, while Spain manager Luis de la Fuente won Men’s Coach of the Year following his national team’s World Cup title. And while he didn’t win the award he most wanted, the 19-year-old was named Young Talent of the Year for a third successive time, yamal drew one of the loudest reactions as he walked up the red carpet.
2026 Ballon d’Or Full List of Winners
- Ballon d’Or: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England)
- Ballon d’Or Féminin: Alèxia Putellas (Barcelona Femení/London City Lionesses and Spain)
- Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
- Women’s Club of the Year: Barcelona Femení
- Men’s Young Talent of the Year: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)
- Women’s Young Talent of the Year: Vicky López (Barcelona Femení and Spain)
- Men’s Coach of the Year: Luis de la Fuente (Spain)
- Women’s Coach of the Year: Pere Romeu (Barcelona Femení)
- Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao and Spain)
- Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Cata Coll (Barcelona Femení and Spain)
- Sócrates Award: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal and England)
- Men’s Striker of the Year: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England)
- Women’s Striker of the Year: Charlyn Corral (CF Pachuca and Mexico)
