England’s long-serving and joint most-capped male footballer, Harry Kane MBE, was finally rewarded after 12 years of footballing perfection and dominance at the top level. The Bayern Munich and England number nine scored 73 goals across all competitions in the 2025-26 season in only 65 appearances.
...he is arguably the best English player that’s ever been.
In the words of 2005’s 3rd place finisher Steven Gerrard, "he is arguably the best English player that’s ever been". If this was not already confirmed, the 25-26 numbers paired with leading England to another World Cup semi-final cements Harry Kane’s name along with greats such as Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker.
Goals against Croatia, Panama, DR Congo and Mexico (who conveniently left him out of their top 10 vote) demonstrated the masterful leadership, finishing and otherworldly passing ability no other current footballer can match. Goals both home and away against Real Madrid and eventual winners PSG respectively in the Champions League latter stages boosted Harry’s big game repertoire, leaving voters with no doubt.
Social media ridicule has followed Kane for his whole career, as his loyalty to 2024-25 Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur and speech issues left him subject to unfathomable disrespect. When Tottenham’s number 37 scored his first Premier League goal on 7 April 2014, against Sunderland at White Hart Lane, no one could have imagined the success that would follow. I was at this game and have been a fan ever since.
Harry Kane’s victory in London is the cherry on top of a career that will be remembered for generations to come.
Harry Kane’s winning 1,055 points was closely followed by Kylian Mbappe’s 1,027 points.
Harry Kane’s winning 1,055 points was closely followed by Kylian Mbappe’s 1,027 points. Many thought this was Mbappe’s year, as the electric French maverick emerged as a serious candidate in the days leading up to the ceremony. Kylian’s time will come, however a trophyless season with Spanish giants Real Madrid and despite a fruitful scoring campaign, a World Cup semi-final no-show cannot overwrite Kane’s brilliance.
The youngest of the top 10, Lamine Yamal, was seen as being the second in a two-horse race with Harry Kane by most journalists for the award. His La Liga win with Barcelona and World Cup victory with Spain would surely be enough for him, no? Only one goal contribution during Spain’s victory highlights how his teammates, such as fourth-placed Rodri and tenth-placed Fabian Ruiz as well as semi-final goalscorer Pedro Porro, propelled a poor campaign towards the golden trophy.
At 27 and 19 respectively, Mbappe and Yamal, alongside other top 10 finishers Erling Haaland and Michael Olise will almost certainly win the Ballon D’Or one day, but none performed to a level high enough to take away Harry Kane’s inevitable legacy-defining win.