England head coach Thomas Tuchel and Prince William congratulated Harry Kane on Tuesday after the Bayern Munich striker won the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, becoming the first English footballer to claim the prestigious individual honour in 25 years.
Kane received the award at a ceremony held at the London Palladium on Monday, finishing ahead of Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. The England captain's victory followed an outstanding 2025-26 campaign in which he scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country.
The 33-year-old became the fifth Englishman to win the award, joining Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen, who was the country's previous winner in 2001.
Tuchel praises England captain
Tuchel described Kane's achievement as thoroughly deserved and said the recognition was particularly significant because of England's long wait for another Ballon d'Or winner.
“Congratulations Harry on a deserved Ballon d'Or!” Tuchel said in a statement released by England Football.
The England manager said he had run out of superlatives to describe Kane's performances and was delighted that the striker had received recognition from the football world.
Tuchel also highlighted Kane's importance to the national team, describing England as fortunate to have him as its leader.
The German coach said he expected Kane to celebrate the achievement with his family before returning to scoring goals and winning matches.
Prince William congratulates Kane
Prince William, the Prince of Wales and patron of the Football Association, also congratulated the England captain through a message on Instagram.
He described Kane as “a brilliant captain, a remarkable player” who had delivered numerous memorable moments to football supporters around the world.
The Prince of Wales called the award a fantastic achievement and said the recognition was deserved.
The messages from Tuchel and Prince William came as congratulations poured in for Kane following his historic victory.
Remarkable season for Bayern Munich
Kane's Ballon d'Or triumph followed the most prolific season of his career, during which he scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich and another 12 for England.
The striker played a major role in Bayern's domestic success, helping the German club win the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup.
He scored 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga appearances, finishing as the competition's leading scorer for the third consecutive season.
Kane also scored 14 goals in 13 UEFA Champions League matches as Bayern reached the semifinals before being eliminated by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
His performances helped him secure the European Golden Shoe for the second time, further strengthening his credentials for the Ballon d'Or.
At the international level, Kane contributed to England's third-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring six goals during the tournament.
Across the season, he registered eight assists in addition to his 73 goals, taking his total goal contributions to 81.
Kane reflects on career milestone
Kane appeared emotional while receiving the award in London, thanking his Bayern Munich and England teammates, coaches and family for their support.
He described the 2025-26 campaign as the best season of his career and said his achievements would not have been possible without the players and coaches who had worked alongside him.
The striker also reflected on the difficulties he encountered earlier in his career, including loan spells before establishing himself at Tottenham Hotspur.
He expressed hope that his journey would encourage young footballers to pursue their ambitions despite setbacks.
Kane also received the Gerd Müller Trophy for the best men's striker, adding another individual honour to his achievements.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony marked the competition's 70th anniversary and was held in London for the first time, commemorating English footballer Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural award in 1956.
Kane's victory ended a quarter-century wait for an English winner and marked another milestone in the career of one of the country's most prolific goalscorers.