Kane favourite to win 2026 Ballon d'or - who should win men's award tonight?
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Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror report that Harry Kane received the men’s Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in London, ending a 25-year gap since an English player last won it. Both identify Michael Owen, the 2001 winner, as the previous English recipient. Sri Lanka Mirror reports that Kane is the fifth English winner overall, after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, and Kevin Keegan, who won twice.
Newswire reports that Kane, a Bayern Munich and England forward, finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Sri Lanka Mirror also places Mbappé second and Yamal third. The outlets give different figures for Kane’s club-only season tally: Newswire reports 73 goals in 65 matches for club and country, while Sri Lanka Mirror reports 61 goals in 51 club matches and 73 goals, plus eight assists, across 65 matches including England games. Sri Lanka Mirror says the club total was the highest by a Bayern player in one season and that Kane became the first Bayern player to win the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.
Newswire reports that the London ceremony was delayed by rain and traffic. It says Kane won his first Ballon d’Or after a season in which Bayern won the league and cup double. Sri Lanka Mirror reports that Kane did not win either of football’s biggest prizes last season, having lost in the World Cup and Champions League semi-finals. Sri Lanka Mirror also reports that England manager Thomas Tuchel welcomed Kane’s win, and that Prince William praised his performance and leadership.
Newswire reports that Spain’s Alèxia Putellas won the women’s award for the third time. The outlet says she captained Barcelona Femení to four trophies—the league, two domestic cups and the Women’s Champions League—before joining London City Lionesses in England this summer. Newswire reports that selected journalists vote for the men’s and women’s awards, ranking their ten leading players for points.
Written automatically by AI from the outlets’ own reports, and not reviewed by an editor. It can be wrong — the original report is the authority.
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