Harry Kane becomes first English Ballon d'Or winner in 25 years ahead of Wembley return

Harry Kane has been crowned the world’s best footballer, winning the Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in London on Monday, 26 October — the first Englishman to claim the award since Michael Owen lifted it in 2001.

The Bayern Munich and England captain earned the honour after an extraordinary season in which he scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country. Kane also guided his sides to the semi-finals of both the World Cup and the Champions League, cementing a case that proved impossible for voters to overlook.

To mark the occasion, the iconic arches of Wembley Stadium were illuminated in gold on Monday night — a fitting tribute given that Kane will return to the ground next month. England face Croatia on 12 November in their fifth of six UEFA Nations League group games, with the Three Lions’ skipper expected to lead the side.

The win caps a remarkable rise for Kane, who has long been regarded as one of the Premier League era’s most prolific strikers but had previously fallen short of individual football’s highest honour. At 31, he becomes one of the older recipients in the award’s modern history, a reflection of the consistency he has maintained across more than a decade at the top level.

England’s Nations League campaign continues with the Croatia fixture before a final group game, as the team bids to advance from the group stage of the competition.