Harry Kane Favoured to End England’s Ballon D’or Drought Tonight

WHO:

NBC Sports - England women Alex Greenwood and Alessia Russo are nominated for the Ballon d’Or Féminin; USWNT player Rose Lavelle and four players from NWSL clubs are also nominated for the women’s honor.

Daily Mail Sports - Harry Kane is England’s captain and a Bayern forward.

Daily Mail Sports - Kane’s principal rivals for the men’s Ballon d’Or include Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.

Daily Mail Sports - Michael Owen was the last English winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or before the ceremony described in the articles.

Barca Blaugranes - Gill Clark is the site manager of Barca Blaugranes and joined in 2017; she has worked in sports media as a writer and editor for nearly two decades.

Barca Blaugranes - Lamine Yamal is a Barcelona and Spanish forward; Harry Kane is an English forward at Bayern; Kylian Mbappe plays for Real Madrid.

Daily Mail Sports - Kane’s wife was described as “nervous” while awaiting the award result.

WHAT:

Sportskeeda - Lionel Messi finished fifth in the 2026 Ballon d’Or final rankings.

BBC News - Kane said his Ballon d’Or win was “A dream come true.”

Sportskeeda - Franck Ribery, Son Heung-min, and others expressed support for Kane after his win.

Daily Mail Sports - Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were accused of disrespecting Kane after they reportedly did not stand to shake his hand before the award presentation.

BBC News - Harry Kane described his Ballon d’Or win as “A dream come true.”

Sportskeeda - Franck Ribery, Son Heung-min and others expressed support for Kane after his Ballon d’Or win.

Sportskeeda - Harry Kane won the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or.

Sportskeeda - Lionel Messi finished fifth in the 2026 Ballon d’Or final rankings.

NBC Sports - The Ballon d’Or ceremony is its 70th edition.

Daily Mail Sports - The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony is being covered live, with Kane seeking to become the first English men’s winner since Owen.

Barca Blaugranes - The 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or winner is to be announced at the ceremony.

Barca Blaugranes - Kane scored 61 goals in 51 games during the 2025-26 season and helped Bayern win league and cup honors in Germany the previous season.

Barca Blaugranes - Yamal won La Liga and the World Cup in 2026; if he wins the award, he will be its youngest-ever winner.

Barca Blaugranes - Mbappe said there was “no one better” than him last season, despite ending the campaign without a trophy.

Daily Mail Sports - Kane is described as the favorite to end England’s 25-year wait for a men’s Ballon d’Or winner.

WHERE:

NBC Sports - The ceremony is at the London Palladium Theater.

Barca Blaugranes - The ceremony is being held in London.

Barca Blaugranes - A photograph caption identifies the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris as the venue of the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony; it depicts Kane and Yamal on stage.

WHEN:

BBC News - Kane’s win was the first time an English player had lifted the trophy since Michael Owen in 2001.

Daily Mail Sports - Michael Owen won the men’s Ballon d’Or in 2001.

WHY:

Daily Mail Sports - Kane’s candidacy is linked to his scoring record and Bayern’s league and cup success.

Barca Blaugranes - Yamal is among the award favorites after winning La Liga and the World Cup in 2026.

HOW:

Daily Mail Sports - The award outcome is to be determined at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London.

Barca Blaugranes - The 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or is presented as a competition among Kane, Yamal, and Mbappe.

Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English player to receive the award since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern and England captain scored 61 goals in 51 games during the 2025-26 season, while Lionel Messi finished fifth and Kane’s rivals included Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. England’s Alex Greenwood and Alessia Russo, USWNT star Rose Lavelle, and four players from NWSL clubs were also nominated for the women’s award.