won the 2026 Men’s after finishing just 28 points ahead of Kylian Mbappe, in one of the tightest races the award has seen. The Bayern Munich striker became the first English winner in 25 years, while Bayern celebrated their first Ballon d’Or recipient in 45 years and the first player from a German club to win it since 1996.
A jury of 100 international journalists decided the prize. The points system awards 15 points for a first-place vote, 12 for second, 10 for third, then 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 for the remaining positions in a voter’s top 10.
collected 40 first-place votes and 1,055 points. received 23 first-place votes and finished on 1,027 points. According to the full breakdown published by L’Equipe, the margin ranks as the fourth-closest in the award’s 70-year history and the closest since Lionel Messi edged Virgil van Dijk by seven points in 2019.
Harry Kane scored 73 goals across club and country last season and finished as Europe’s top scorer. He also netted six times at the as England reached the semifinals and finished third. Those numbers, combined with Bayern Munich’s domestic and European success, proved decisive for the majority of voters.
scored 42 goals for in the club season before adding 22 goals for France at the World Cup, 10 of them in the tournament itself. His tally made him the competition’s all-time leading scorer, yet it was not enough to overtake Kane in the final tally.
1. Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich): 1,055 points
2. Kylian Mbappe (France, Real Madrid): 1,027 points
3. (Spain, FC Barcelona): 881 points
4. Rodri (Spain, Manchester City/Barcelona): 726 points
5. Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami): 612 points
6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Paris Saint-Germain): 541 points
7. Ousmane Dembele (France, Paris Saint-Germain): 418 points
8. (Norway, Manchester City): 378 points
9. Michael Olise (France, Bayern Munich): 296 points
10. Fabian Ruiz (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain): 201 points
11. (England, Real Madrid): 107 points
12. Pau Cubarsi (Spain, FC Barcelona): 101 points
13. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain): 65 points
14. Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain): 59 points
15. Declan Rice (England, Arsenal): 57 points
16. Ferran Torres (Spain, FC Barcelona/PSG): 44 points
17. Vinicius Junior (Brazil, Real Madrid): 26 points
18. Marc Cucurella (Spain, Real Madrid): 16 points
19. Joao Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain): 15 points
20. Willian Pacho (Ecuador, Paris Saint-Germain): 12 points
21. Gabriel (Brazil, Arsenal): 11 points
22. Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan): 11 points
23. Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain): 8 points
24. Luis Diaz (Colombia, Bayern Munich): 8 points
25. Marquinhos (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain): 7 points
26. Dayot Upamecano (France, Bayern Munich): 5 points
27. Bruno Fernandes (Portugal, Manchester United): 5 points
28. Julian Quinones (Mexico, Al-Qadsiah): 4 points
29. Sadio Mane (Senegal, Al Nassr) and William Saliba (France, Arsenal): 2 points each
Lamine Yamal finished third with 13 first-place votes after helping Barcelona win LaLiga and playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph. His Barcelona teammate Rodri placed fourth with 10 first-place votes and 726 points, reflecting a clear split among voters for the world champions.
Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time with 618 points, finishing 86 clear of former Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor (532).
Putellas, now at London City Lionesses, received 28 first-place votes from the 50-strong jury. Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw finished a distant third with 344 points.
