Harry Kane has won the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to claim football’s most prestigious individual award, while Alexia Putellas secured her third Women’s Ballon d’Or at a memorable ceremony in London.
The London Palladium hosted the 70th edition of the awards on Monday night, bringing together the leading names in men’s and women’s football to celebrate their performances during the 2025-26 season.
Barcelona enjoyed a particularly successful evening, with Lamine Yamal and Vicky López retaining their respective young player awards, Cata Coll recognised as the best women’s goalkeeper and the Catalan club collecting the Women’s Club of the Year prize.
Meanwhile, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente and Barcelona Women’s head coach Pere Romeu were recognised in the coaching categories, while Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Award for his humanitarian work.
Men’s Young Player of the Year — Lamine Yamal wins for third consecutive year
Lamine Yamal won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for the third consecutive year, continuing his remarkable rise with Barcelona and Spain.
The winger was one of the leading contenders for the main men’s Ballon d’Or, but he had already secured another individual honour before the headline award was announced.
However, Yamal used his acceptance speech to suggest that the prize should have gone to Barcelona team-mate Pau Cubarsí instead.
“It is an honour to be here and receive this prize,” Yamal said.
“I would have liked to see my team-mate Cubarsí here because I think this prize should have been for him. He has been playing at an excellent level for some time.”
Yamal thanked Barcelona and the Spanish national team before reiterating that he believed Cubarsí deserved the recognition.
The teenager was also asked by Thierry Henry whether this third consecutive award was the one he wanted to win on the night, prompting a nervous laugh as anticipation continued to build ahead of the main Ballon d’Or announcement.
Women’s Young Player of the Year — Vicky López retains her crown
Barcelona forward Vicky López won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year.
The Spain international was presented with the trophy by Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, making it another successful moment for Barcelona at the ceremony.
López’s latest triumph continued the club’s strong representation among the individual award winners, with Yamal having already collected the men’s equivalent earlier in the evening.
The back-to-back success also underlined the continued emergence of young talent within Barcelona’s ranks, as the club’s players remained prominent across both the men’s and women’s categories.
Women’s Coach of the Year — Pere Romeu recognised after Barcelona’s success
Barcelona Women’s head coach Pere Romeu was named Women’s Coach of the Year, adding another award to the club’s growing collection on the night.
Romeu’s recognition reflected Barcelona’s success during the 2025-26 campaign, with the team continuing to compete at the highest level in domestic and European football.
The award also reinforced Barcelona’s influence across the women’s game, with the club represented among the winners in the young player, goalkeeper, club and main individual categories.
Men’s Coach of the Year — Luis de la Fuente wins for Spain
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente won the Men’s Coach of the Year award, recognising his work with the national team.
De la Fuente used his acceptance speech to emphasise the collective nature of coaching success, insisting that the honour belonged to the wider group rather than one individual.
“This prize is not an individual prize. This is for a whole team, a great team,” he said.
He also thanked the Spanish football federation and praised the players he works with, highlighting their generosity, solidarity and willingness to put the team ahead of individual recognition.
De la Fuente’s comments reflected a central theme of the evening: individual awards may celebrate personal achievements, but success at the highest level remains dependent on the contribution of an entire team.
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year — Cata Coll wins for Barcelona
Cata Coll was named Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, providing another success for Barcelona and Spain.
The goalkeeper was recognised after another season competing at the highest level for club and country, adding an individual honour to Barcelona’s strong showing at the ceremony.
Coll’s victory also highlighted the importance of defensive contributions in a team that has frequently attracted attention for its attacking quality.
Her award formed part of a wider night of recognition for Spanish football, with players and coaches from the national team and Barcelona collecting several of the evening’s honours.
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year — Unai Simón claims the award
Spain and Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simón won the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Simón was recognised for his performances between the posts, earning one of the ceremony’s major positional honours ahead of a field of international goalkeeping talent.
His victory added to Spain’s success on the night, following awards for Yamal, López and De la Fuente.
The goalkeeper category also featured several high-profile nominees, including Arsenal’s David Raya and Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, underlining the competition for recognition among the game’s leading shot-stoppers.
Socrates Award — Bukayo Saka recognised for humanitarian work
Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Award, which recognises humanitarian work and social initiatives connected to football.
The Arsenal and England star was honoured for his work through his Big Shoe charity, which supports children in need of footwear.
The award recognises contributions beyond performances on the pitch, highlighting the role footballers can play in supporting communities and using their platforms to make a difference.
Saka’s recognition offered a reminder that football’s influence extends beyond trophies and individual statistics, with players able to create a positive impact through charitable initiatives.
Women’s Club of the Year — Barcelona continue their dominance
Barcelona were named Women’s Club of the Year, adding another major honour to an evening in which their players and coaching staff repeatedly featured among the winners.
The club’s success was reflected throughout the ceremony, with López, Coll and Putellas all collecting individual awards, while Romeu was recognised for his work as head coach.
Barcelona’s achievements during the 2025-26 season included winning the Liga F, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup and Champions League, completing a continental quadruple.
The club’s continued success at domestic and European level has helped establish them as one of the defining forces in women’s football, and the latest awards provided further recognition of that status.
Men’s Club of the Year — Paris Saint-Germain take home the honour
Paris Saint-Germain won the Men’s Club of the Year award, recognising their achievements during the 2025-26 campaign.
The French club collected one of the ceremony’s major team honours, adding to the individual recognition handed out across the evening.
While the main men’s Ballon d’Or remained the most anticipated award, the club category offered a chance to acknowledge collective performances and achievements across the season.
PSG’s victory ensured that Barcelona did not have a monopoly on the club awards, with the Parisian side also receiving recognition on a night dominated by some of the leading names in European football.
Men’s Striker of the Year — Harry Kane rewarded for prolific season
Harry Kane won the Men’s Striker of the Year award, providing an early indication of the successful evening ahead for the England captain.
The Bayern Munich forward enjoyed a prolific campaign, finishing the season with 73 goals for club and country, according to the figures reported ahead of the ceremony.
His scoring record placed him firmly among the leading contenders for the main Ballon d’Or, with his consistency in front of goal strengthening his case for the sport’s biggest individual honour.
Kane’s success in the striker category was another reward for his attacking output and set the stage for the announcement that would ultimately define his night in London.
Women’s Striker of the Year — Charlyn Corral claims the award
Charlyn Corral won the Women’s Striker of the Year award, recognising her goalscoring achievements during the 2025-26 season.
The Mexican forward was rewarded for her impact in attack, earning one of the ceremony’s key individual honours in women’s football.
The award celebrated the importance of consistent finishing and attacking influence, with Corral joining a list of winners that reflected the international reach of the game.
Her success also added another name to the evening’s winners beyond the dominant Spanish contingent, as the ceremony recognised achievements across clubs and national teams.
Women’s Ballon d’Or — Alexia Putellas claims third title
Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time, drawing level with former Barcelona team-mate Aitana Bonmatí’s record of three victories.
The Barcelona captain enjoyed another outstanding season, leading her side to a continental quadruple in 2025-26 as they won the Liga F, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup and Champions League.
Putellas was also a key figure in Barcelona’s European campaign, scoring twice in the Champions League semi-final in May and subsequently earning the player of the tournament award.
Her contribution to the club’s success was central to her case for the award, with her performances helping Barcelona maintain their position among the leading teams in women’s football.
The midfielder was also part of Spain’s Nations League-winning side, adding international success to her achievements at club level.
Putellas finished ahead of Ewa Pajor, who took second place, while Khadija Shaw finished third.
The result marked another major milestone in Putellas’ career, as she joined Bonmatí on three Women’s Ballon d’Or titles and further cemented her place among the defining players of her generation.
Men’s Ballon d’Or — Harry Kane ends England’s 25-year wait
Harry Kane won the Men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to receive the award.
The Bayern Munich striker was crowned the world’s best men’s player at the London Palladium after a season defined by prolific goalscoring and his continued importance for club and country.
Kane’s victory marks a major personal milestone for the England captain, whose career has been built around consistent attacking output and a reputation as one of the most reliable finishers in the game.
His reported total of 73 goals for club and country during the campaign strengthened his case against a competitive field, with Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal among the leading contenders.
Mbappé finished second, while Yamal took third place after also winning the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for the third consecutive year.
Kane’s triumph ends a quarter-century wait for an English winner, following Michael Owen’s victory in 2001. It also provides a defining moment in a career in which individual recognition has often been discussed alongside his achievements for Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and England.
The result brought the evening to a close with one of the ceremony’s biggest stories: an England captain reaching the summit of the individual game after a prolific season in Germany.
With Kane and Putellas taking the two main honours, and Barcelona collecting awards across multiple categories, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony celebrated both individual excellence and the collective achievements that shaped the season.
