Harry Kane Reveals What Happened Moments Before Winning the Ballon d'Or
Harry Kane described the immense nervousness he experienced before winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or on October 26 in London. The Bayern Munich striker admitted he had never faced such pressure, feeling almost frozen when Cristiano Ronaldo announced his name.
Kane scored 73 goals during 2025/26, beating Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.
In the moments before being crowned the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner, Harry Kane experienced an overwhelming mixture of nervousness, anxiety and excitement. The Bayern Munich and England striker admitted that the pressure surrounding the announcement was unlike anything he had encountered throughout his football career. Speaking on the French television programme Téléfoot, the 33-year-old explained that the uncertainty was particularly difficult because the final outcome was beyond his control.
The ceremony was held at London's Theatre Palladium on October 26, 2026, where Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario announced Kane as the winner. Recalling the moment, Kane revealed that he was almost frozen when he heard his name. However, stepping onto the stage brought an incredible sense of relief, with his heart racing and everything around him seemingly coming to a standstill. Kane's achievement ended England's 25-year wait for another Ballon d'Or winner, following Michael Owen's success in 2001.
He also joined distinguished English winners Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan. The award recognised his outstanding 2025/26 campaign, during which he scored an extraordinary 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England across all competitions. Kane finished ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal in the voting. Despite winning football's most prestigious individual honour, he will not receive an official cash prize. The trophy itself is estimated to be worth approximately $3,500.