Harry Kane ends 25-year English Ballon d'Or drought
Harry Kane saw his fantastic season being crowned with the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday evening, ending the 25‑year‑long English drought and heralding a new winner from the land of sport.
First English winner: Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews was the very first English Ballon d'Or winner, when he captured the award for Blackpool in 2026. He defeated, among others, Alfredo Di Stéfano and Raymond Kopa and finished with Blackpool in second place in the top English division, a historic final standing for the club.
Matthews, then 41 years old, set a record as the oldest Ballon d'Or winner ever. His reputation was not based on goals but on dribbles and creativity, earning him the award as the dribble king.
Second and third English winners
Bobby Charlton, attacking midfielder of Manchester United, won ten years after the first award thanks to his performances at club and international level. In 1966 he scored both goals in the 2‑1 semi‑final against Portugal and helped England win the final 4‑2, after which he also captured the English league title with Manchester United.
Kevin Keegan became, twelve years later, the first Englishman to win the award twice. He first won in 1977 after a transfer from Liverpool to Hamburger SV, and again in 1979 when he helped Hamburg claim the German national title, aided by seventeen league goals, eleven of which came in the final twelve matches.
Kane wins Ballon d’Or, ends Bundesliga wait
Youngest winner and last before Kane
Michael Owen, then striker of Liverpool, became the youngest English Ballon d'Or winner at 22 years old. He led Liverpool to two domestic cups, scored two goals in the final ten minutes of the FA Cup final against Arsenal, and won the UEFA Cup, while scoring 31 times that calendar year.
Owen finished just above Raúl and Kahn in the ranking, placing himself among the greatest names in world football.
Harry Kane now caps the series with a season full of goals, German national titles and a third‑place finish at the World Cup with England. His achievement marks the end of a long waiting period and sets the bar high for future generations.
Kane lifts Ballon d’Or after staying in the shadows
What the future holds
After a quarter of a century without an English Ballon d'Or winner, Kane shows that the country can once again compete at the highest individual level. The question remains how long supporters will have to wait for the next English winner.