Kane Wins Ballon d'Or With 73 Goals, First Englishman in 25 Years

Harry Kane stood in London on Monday to accept the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Englishman to hold the trophy since Michael Owen won it in 2001. The ceremony took place at the London Palladium, marking the first time the event was held in the city to recognize the award's 70th anniversary.

Kane secured the vote with 73 goals scored for club and country last season. His total made him the top scorer in Europe. He broke scoring records in Germany while playing for Bayern Munich and set new marks at the World Cup, where he led England to a third-place finish.

The 33-year-old striker credited his resilience for the achievement. He told young players that hard work and self-belief allowed him to overcome early career struggles. "My journey wasn't straightforward," Kane said. "I had to fight my way to be the very best right now."

In the voting, Kane placed ahead of Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Lionel Messi. Yamal was named the best young talent for the third consecutive year. Messi, the record eight-time winner, finished fifth in the final count.

Kane led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga and German Cup titles last season. He scored a hat trick against Stuttgart in the cup final, and his team reached the Champions League semifinals. At the World Cup, he scored six goals, surpassing Gary Lineker to become England's all-time leading scorer in tournament history. England beat France for third place, its best result in 60 years.

England coach Thomas Tuchel praised Kane's leadership. "I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago," Tuchel said. "I'm delighted to see that you have now been formally recognized by the football world."

Fans gathered near Oxford Circus to watch the athletes arrive and depart. Kane signed autographs on his way into the theater and chanted with the crowd as he left after midnight. He plans to fly back to Munich on Tuesday to prepare for a cup game on Wednesday. "It can't get too messy," Kane said of his celebration plans.