Kane tops Ballon d’Or rankings, Messi 5th and Mbappe 2nd

England’s 25-year wait for another Ballon d’Or winner has ended, with Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane claiming the 2026 men’s award at a glittering ceremony in London.

Kane beat France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, who finished second, and Barcelona’s Spanish teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who took third place.

The ceremony was held in the British capital instead of the traditional host city of Paris to mark the 70th anniversary of Stanley Matthews’ Ballon d’Or triumph in 1956.

Kane became the latest Englishman to win football’s prestigious individual honour, following Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, finished fifth in the rankings, while Spain midfielder Rodri secured fourth place.


    Harry Kane — England
    Kylian Mbappe — France
    Lamine Yamal — Spain
    Rodri — Spain
    Lionel Messi — Argentina
    Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — Georgia
    Ousmane Dembele — France
    Erling Haaland — Norway
    Michael Olise — France
    Fabian Ruiz — Spain

Positions 11–20

    Jude Bellingham — England
    Pau Cubarsi — Spain
    Achraf Hakimi — Morocco
    Vitinha — Portugal
    Declan Rice — England
    Ferran Torres — Spain
    Vinicius Junior — Brazil
    Marc Cucurella — Spain
    Joao Neves — Portugal
    Willian Pacho — Ecuador

Positions 21–29

    Gabriel — Brazil
    Lautaro Martinez — Argentina
    Nuno Mendes — Portugal
    Luis Diaz — Colombia
    Marquinhos — Brazil
    Dayot Upamecano — France
    Bruno Fernandes — Portugal
    Julian Quinones — Mexico
    Sadio Mane — Senegal
    William Saliba — France