Harry Kane secured the 2026 Ballon d’Or after claiming first-place votes in 40 of the 100 participating countries, as detailed in voting statistics released by The Team. The Bayern Munich and England striker achieved the honor following a 73-goal campaign across 65 matches for club and country between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026. The victory makes Kane the fifth English player to receive the award, bringing England to six total trophies and matching the historic totals of Brazil and Italy by nationality.
Global Voting Breakdown Across One Hundred Countries
The voting panel consists of 100 journalists, each representing one of the 100 countries best positioned in the FIFA world ranking. The Team reported that Kane finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, who secured first-place votes in 23 countries including France, Spain, and Italy, as well as Germany, Bahrain, Benin, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ecuador, Finland, Ghana, Guinea, Iraq, Mali, Palestine, Paraguay, Netherlands, Qatar, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Romania, and Zambia. Third-place finisher Lamine Yamal of Barcelona topped the ballots in 13 nations, such as Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, Albania, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Wales, Honduras, Jordan, North Macedonia, Tunisia, and Turkey. Kane’s first-place support spanned nations including England, Germany, South Africa, Colombia, Japan, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland, Haiti, Hungary, Iran, Northern Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Poland, Russia, El Salvador, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Brazil’s top-ranked player in the voting was Vinicius Junior, who finished 17th overall. The Team noted that Vinicius Junior received his highest placement—fifth—from the juror representing Mali, while receiving seventh-place votes from Cabo Verde and Paraguay, eighth-place votes from Brazil, Kosovo, and Guinea, 10th-place votes from Jamaica and Jordânia, and finishing outside the top 10 in 92 other countries. Other Brazilian nominees included Marquinhos in 21st, Gabriel Magalhães in 25th, and Lorena in 28th for the women’s competition.
Historic Context and Individual Records in Europe
Kane’s victory marks the first time a Bayern Munich player has won the Ballon d’Or since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981. The 33-year-old forward scored 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich, the most by a player for the club in a single season.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Ballon d’Or
How many English players have won the Ballon d’Or?
Five English players have won the award across six total victories: Stanley Matthews in 1956, Bobby Charlton in 1966, Kevin Keegan in 1978 and 1979, Michael Owen in 2001, and Harry Kane in 2026.
What period did the voting criteria cover for this award?
The evaluation window for the 2026 Ballon d’Or accounted for player performances between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026.
Who were the top three finishers in the 2026 voting?
Harry Kane of Bayern Munich finished first, Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid finished second, and Lamine Yamal of Barcelona finished third, based on statistics published by The Team.
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