'A dream come true' - Harry Kane on his Ballon d'Or win

What the report says

Harry Kane has won the Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English player to claim football’s top individual prize since Michael Owen in 2001, according to BBC World News. The award was presented at a ceremony in London, marking a major milestone in Kane’s career and a notable moment for English football.

BBC World News reported that Kane’s success was built on a prolific season for Bayern Munich, where he scored 61 goals in 51 club matches, the highest total any player from the German club has recorded in a single campaign. The article also noted his role in helping England reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, adding to his case for the award.

The BBC said Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappe finished second in the voting, with Barcelona and Spain attacker Lamine Yamal in third. The result highlights the global competition for the Ballon d’Or, which is widely regarded as one of football’s most prestigious individual honours.

For context, the award has long been seen as a marker of outstanding performance across club and international football. Kane’s win ends a lengthy gap for English players at the top of the ballot and underlines his standing as one of the sport’s leading forwards.