Harry Kane, Alexia Putellas Makes History with 2026 Ballon d'Or Award Wins

Key Points:

• Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, becoming a first-time winner and ending the era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo; he outperformed contenders like Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
• Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England during the 2025-26 season, leading Bayern to a domestic double and a Champions League semifinal appearance, and helped England finish third in the World Cup with six goals.
• Kylian Mbappé was the runner-up, leading all players with 10 goals in the World Cup and becoming the tournament's all-time top scorer, but his club season with Real Madrid was trophyless despite 42 goals in 44 appearances.
• On the women's side, Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d'Or Féminin for the third time, tying the record and ending Aitana Bonmatí's recent dominance by leading Barcelona to a quadruple including a seventh consecutive Liga F title and a third Champions League win in four years.
• Manchester City's Khadija Shaw and Barcelona's Patri Guijarro also had standout seasons, with Shaw scoring 21 league goals to help win the Premier League and FA Cup, while Guijarro contributed to Barcelona's trophy haul.