The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony at London’s Palladium Theatre produced an exceptionally close contest for football’s most prestigious individual award.

England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane lifted the Golden Ball, ending a 25-year drought for English players since Michael Owen in 2001. 

England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane lifted the Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001.

However, comments from France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia have shed light on how closely Kane contested the award with Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.

Speaking after the ceremony, France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia explained how the race developed during the voting period, including Mbappe's early lead and the narrow margin between the top two finishers.

Kylian Mbappe led the Ballon d’Or vote before Kane's late surge

For a significant portion of the voting window, Kylian Mbappe held the lead. The Real Madrid superstar enjoyed a staggering individual 2025-26 campaign, netting 42 goals for his club alongside 10 goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"Mbappe was leading for a long time, but Kane ended up winning. Mbappe has had an extraordinary season. It was incredibly close between Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe in the battle for first place this year," Garcia said.

Despite his individual performances, Mbappe's case was complicated by the contrast between his season and Kane's trophy-winning campaign with Bayern Munich.

According to Garcia, the margin between Kane and Mbappe was smaller than the 41-point gap between Rodri and Vinicius Junior in 2024.

Ultimately, Kane's combination of individual output, domestic trophies and international performances gave voters a compelling case for placing him ahead of Mbappé.

How Rodri may have split the Spanish vote with Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal entered the ceremony as a strong contender after helping Spain win the 2026 World Cup and Barcelona secure the La Liga title. At 19, the winger was among the leading candidates for the award, but ultimately finished third behind Kane and Mbappe.

However, Spain's collective success may have made it harder for voters to single out one player. Garcia suggested that votes were divided between Yamal and midfielder Rodri, with the two Spain internationals competing for recognition after the country's World Cup triumph.

Yamal finished third and Rodri fourth, behind Kane and Mbappe. Garcia's comments suggest that the split in votes between the two Spain internationals may have affected Yamal's challenge, although the full voting breakdown is needed to assess its precise impact.

Goals, trophies and the factors behind Kane's victory

Kane's final push to the top of the ballot came down to a combination of sheer output and team achievements.

While Mbappe matched Kane’s individual scoring prowess in major tournaments, Kane’s overall record of 73 goals and 8 assists in 65 matches for club and country provided an unmatched statistical foundation.

Crucially, Kane backed up his individual metrics with collective silverware, firing Bayern Munich to a domestic treble—winning the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal, and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. 

Coupled with his Golden Boot performance and a bronze-medal finish with England at the World Cup, Kane offered the international panel of journalists a complete portfolio of both team trophies and individual records.

Harry Kane vs Kylian Mbappe vs Lamine Yamal: 2025-26 season comparison

Harry Kane (Winner) 73 Goals, 8 Assists — Bundesliga Title, DFB-Pokal, Supercup, World Cup Bronze

Kylian Mbappe (Runner-up) 52 Goals, 11 Assists — World Cup Golden Boot, Champions League Top Scorer

Lamine Yamal (3rd Place) 24 Goals, 21 Assists — 2026 FIFA World Cup Winner, La Liga Title, Supercopa de Espana