Harry Kane Named World’s Best Footballer

October 29, 2026

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England captain Harry Kane has won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, the award for the best men’s footballer in the world.

The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker received the award at a ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday 26 October 2026. He is only the fifth Englishman ever to win it, and the first since Michael Owen in 2001.

Ballon d’Or is French for “golden ball”, and this was the 70th time the award has been handed out.

Kane scored 73 goals in 65 games last season, 61 for Bayern and 12 for England. He also captained England to third place at this year’s World Cup.

Kane also won the Men’s Striker of the Year award, and in August he became the first English player to be named Germany’s Footballer of the Year. France’s Kylian Mbappé came second in the voting.

England coach Thomas Tuchel congratulated Kane, saying the team was “lucky to have you as our leader”.

Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time.

Article written by Milli Banbury

This article was written using AI as an assistive tool for research, writing, and proofreading.
The te reo Māori version of this article was translated with AI assistance. While care has been taken to keep it accurate, if you spot anything that doesn't read quite right, please let us know

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Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

The junior school held a market day to raise money for new outdoor games. Each class made something to sell. Kiwi Kids made paper bookmarks with silver fern patterns, and some students painted small rocks with bright designs. Visitors bought the items quickly because they were colourful and carefully made. At the end of the day, the teachers counted the money and thanked the students for their effort.

Which sentence best tells why the students took part in market day?

The teachers counted the money at the end of the day. Visitors bought the items quickly. The school held market day to raise money for new outdoor games. The students made bookmarks with silver fern patterns.