Harry Kane admitted winning the Ballon d’Or was an achievement beyond his wildest dreams, after edging out Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to be crowned the world’s best player.

The Bayern Munich and England striker claimed football’s most prestigious individual prize at a star-studded award ceremony in London on Monday, becoming the fifth English player to do so and the first in 25 years.

Kane’s award came after a year in which he helped Bayern Munich retain their Bundesliga crown and captained England to a third-place finish at the World Cup – their best-ever on foreign soil.

He plundered a remarkable 73 goals for club and country in 2025-26, with the only other instance of a player from Europe’s top five leagues scoring 70+ goals in a single campaign coming in 2011-12, when Lionel Messi netted 82 en route to one of his eight Ballon d’Or triumphs.

Speaking on stage after receiving the prize, Kane said: “I am almost speechless. Being here in London has made it extra special – that made it a good omen for me.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was tough this year. There are some world-class players in the room tonight.”

Kane’s triumph capped a remarkable rise to the top of the game, for a player who had loan spells at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City in the early stages of his career.

And Kane, who netted 280 times for Tottenham before joining Bayern in 2023 and finally halting his personal trophy drought by winning two Bundesliga crowns, one DFB-Pokal and two DFL Supercups, admits he could never have foreseen his triumph.

“Not many people would have thought it, and maybe even myself, I wouldn’t have thought I’d get this far,” Kane said.

“I had to go through many ups and downs, especially early in my career. I was never the person that people thought was going to be the superstar, like some of the guys.

“I had to bide my time and work hard, a lot of times it was me against my own mind and I had to come through it.

“I had to show self-belief, determination. I think that grounded me, even when I did make it at the highest level, to keep improving and keep getting better.

“No matter what I achieve, how many goals I score, winning the Ballon d’Or, it’s always about getting better. This is a showcase of that.”

The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony took place at the London Palladium on October 26, with 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane winning the prestigious award for the first time in his career.

The evaluation period for the 2026 Ballon d’Or ran from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, concluding with the FIFA World Cup final. During this period, Kane made 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and England, scoring 73 goals and providing six assists.

At club level, Kane made 51 appearances for Bayern Munich, registering 61 goals and seven assists. He helped the German giants win the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup, while also reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

His outstanding performances earned him both the Bundesliga Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe, as well as places in the Bundesliga and Champions League Teams of the Season.

For England, Kane continued to lead the national team as captain, making 14 appearances and recording 12 goals and one assist. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he scored six goals and provided one assist in seven matches, helping England secure a third-place finish.

Kane becomes the first Bayern Munich player to win the Ballon d’Or since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981, ending a 45-year wait. He is the fourth Bayern player to receive the award, bringing the club’s total to six Ballon d’Or victories.

He is also the first Bundesliga player to claim the award since Matthias Sammer in 1996, becoming the seventh Bundesliga player to win the trophy and securing the league’s 10th Ballon d’Or.

Furthermore, Kane becomes the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a 25-year drought. He is the fifth English player in history to receive the prestigious honor.

The inaugural Ballon d’Or was awarded to Stanley Matthews in 1956. This year’s ceremony marked the 70th edition of the award and the first time the event was held outside France.

Jermaine Pennant, the 43-year-old former Arsenal and Liverpool winger, suffered severe leg injuries in a dog attack, requiring over 50 stitches.

He recounted the terrifying experience on social media and in an interview

The incident occurred in a North London park when Pennant was walking his American Akita, “Kim,” off-leash. A German Shepherd suddenly charged and attacked his dog. Pennant intervened to protect Kim and was then attacked by the German Shepherd, knocked to the ground, and bitten on his right leg for at least five seconds.

In a critical moment, his own Akita, Kim, stepped forward and drove off the attacker. Kim sustained only a minor bite wound on its leg but was covered in the other dog’s blood. After they were safe, Kim stayed by Pennant’s side until help arrived. Pennant reflected that if his beloved dog had been smaller, his own outcome would have been unimaginable, crediting Kim with saving his life.

Pennant sustained four bite wounds on his right leg and took an Uber to the hospital for treatment. The veteran winger played in both the Premier League and La Liga during his career. In addition to Arsenal and Liverpool, he also played for Birmingham City, Portsmouth, and Stoke City, and represented Villarreal in La Liga.