---
title: "Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or, Bayern Munich's first since 1981"
url: https://sportshorts.net/story/kane-ballon-dor-2026-bayern-munich-first-since-1981
published: 2026-10-28T03:30:40Z
updated: 2026-10-28T03:55:20Z
summary: "Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or in London, ending Bayern Munich's 45-year wait after a record 73-goal season for club and country."
author: "SportShorts Desk"
categories: ["Football"]
tags: ["Ballon d'Or", "Bayern Munich", "Bundesliga", "England", "Harry Kane"]
lang: en
---

# Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or, Bayern Munich's first since 1981

*A 73-goal season carried the England captain past Mbappé and Yamal — and ended a wait that outlasted Gerd Müller and Robert Lewandowski.*

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or in London on Monday night, becoming Bayern Munich's first winner of the award since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

The 33-year-old's case rested on a record-breaking season: 73 goals in 65 matches for club and country, including 61 in 51 Bayern appearances — the most any player has scored for the German club in a single campaign. Per BBC Sport, only Lionel Messi's 82-goal 2011-12 season stands higher among players at Europe's top-five-league clubs.

Kane finished ahead of Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal despite ending the season without the Champions League or the World Cup. Bayern fell in the European semi-finals but completed a domestic double, Kane scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 German Cup final win over Stuttgart. The Associated Press noted it was only the fifth time in 20 years the award went to a player who lifted none of the World Cup, Champions League, European Championship or Copa América that season.

The England captain, who is also his country's first winner since Michael Owen in 2001, told the ceremony he "had to bide my time and work hard" early in his career. England manager Thomas Tuchel called it "a huge honour", and the Wembley arch was lit up in gold overnight.

Barcelona's Alexia Putellas won the women's award for a record-equalling third time.

*Sources: BBC Sport, Associated Press.*