Kane: It's an honour to represent you

Harry Kane was full of emotion after winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

The England captain beat the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to land the prestigious award which he was presented with at the ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre.

He thanked his clubs – past and present – along with his England coaches, teammates and staff, the fans and his family and friends in a heartfelt speech.

“I'm almost speechless,” he said, speaking on stage after receiving the award.

“Being here in London has made it extra special. It looked like a good omen for me tonight.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was really tough this year [with] some of the incredible players I was up against - some of my teammates and world-class players in the room tonight.

Kane, who scored 73 goals across the 2025-26 season, including 61 for Bayern Munich, gave a nod to his teammates at his club, including the manager.

“Without you guys and the rest of the team, it wouldn't be possible,” said Kane. “The way you guys push me, the way we compete, it just makes me a better player, makes me want to improve.

“To Vinny, wishing him very well. Hopefully this has given you a bit of energy.”

He also addressed his Three Lions teammates, including those in attendance on the night, including Bukayo Saka, having scored 12 goals for his country, winning England’s top goalscorer award.

“To all of my England teammates, we had a special year,” continued Kane. “It wasn't the perfect year but we had a lot of good moments.

“We built a great bond together, a lot of togetherness the way we trained, the way we played, the togetherness in the hotel at the World Cup.

“It was truly an honour to captain you, lead you. It makes me extremely proud so this one is for all of us, for sure.”

He thanked the Three Lions boss, Thomas Tuchel, who guided England to a third-place finish at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the summer, along with the FA chair, Debbie Hewitt MBE.

“To Thomas Tuchel and the staff at England, the leadership, the way you drive us, the way you push standards is something to be admired,” he noted. “It's an honour to represent you and represent the England badge.

“I know Debbie here is tonight, as well, so Debbie, thank you very much for everything that you do and everyone at the FA. It's truly an honour to be your captain.”

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— England (@England) October 26, 2026

He also addressed his boyhood club where he spent almost two decades as a player, coming through the academy ranks.

“I want to say thank you to Tottenham Hotspur,” he added. “I wouldn't be where I am today without Tottenham. I was there from eleven years old.”

And the England skipper spoke to the supporters in his speech on the night.

“To all the fans - Bayern Munich fans, England fans, Spurs fans and all my fans around the world - the support you give me in the stadiums, around the place, wherever it may be, on social media, I appreciate it all,” he recognised.

“I remember being a fan not long ago and what it means to play football and it was a dream of mine.”

And Kane signed off his speech with an inspirational message to any aspiring footballers, touching on his own personal journey and the experiences that shaped him as a player.

“For any young boy or girl wanting to achieve their dreams, anything is possible with hard work when nobody else is watching, to go through the ups and downs, to learn from resilience, determination and self-belief,” said Kane.

“My journey wasn’t straight forward. I wasn’t the kid who went straight to the top - I had to experience the downs, I had to experience a lot of low moods, I had to fight my way to be the very best right now and I hope that can give you inspiration.”