Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph a glorious riposte to celebrity fawning of ceremony | Barney Ronay

Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, and his emotional speech thanking his family offered a heartfelt moment in an otherwise overblown ceremony. The columnist argues that Kane’s humility and achievements made him a deserving winner, even as the event’s celebrity culture sat uneasily with football.

Kane was credited with 89 goals since August 2025, a European Golden Boot, a Bundesliga title and captaining England to a World Cup semi-final. Other winners included Spain manager Luis de la Fuente as coach of the year and Bukayo Saka, who received the Socrates award for charitable work; the evening also featured performances, tributes and a stream of prizes.