Ballon d’Or 2026: Kane Beat Mbappé by a Narrow Vote Margin, Organisers Reveal

According to a report by daily post Nigeria on Tuesday October 27, 2026, Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or by one of the narrowest margins in the award’s history, according to Vincent Garcia, editor of France Football.

The Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of Kylian Mbappé after a closely fought vote that remained uncertain until the end.

Speaking to L’Équipe after Monday’s ceremony at London’s Palladium, Garcia said the points gap between Kane and Mbappé was even smaller than the 41-point difference that separated Rodri and Vinícius Júnior in 2024.

“Kylian led the race for a long time, but Harry Kane came back into contention,” Garcia said. “In the end, it was decided by a very, very small number of points.”

The complete voting breakdown is expected to be released on Saturday, offering a clearer picture of how the two leading contenders finished so close.

Kane, 33, claimed the prestigious individual award for the first time after a remarkable season. He scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and England, helping the German club win both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. He also scored six goals at the 2026 World Cup, where England finished third.

With the win, Kane became the first English player to receive the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen, who took home the award in 2001.

The achievement caps a standout year for the striker, whose goals helped keep Bayern in contention across competitions and made him a central figure for England.

Mbappé finished second, earning his highest placing in the Ballon d’Or rankings so far. The Real Madrid forward had an outstanding campaign, scoring 25 goals to top La Liga’s scoring chart and 15 to lead the Champions League. He also finished as the World Cup’s top scorer with 10 goals.

Lamine Yamal placed third, completing a podium led by three of the season’s most prolific players.

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