The historic 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or, the prestigious football awards ceremony presented by France Football, took place in London last night, marking the first time the event had been held outside France or Switzerland.
The awards crown the best male and female footballers in the world, but also recognise achievements across several other categories.
The Johan Cruyff Trophy, which recognises the Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year, was picked up by two Spaniards.
Pere Romero guided Barcelona’s women’s side to the league title, the Copa del Reina, the Supercopa and the UEFA Champions League.
His record with the Barcelona women’s side since joining in 2024 is a staggering one. In 99 matches, he has won 91, drawn three and lost just five, giving him an incredible win percentage of 91.92%.
In the men’s game, it was Luis de la Fuente who picked up the award after guiding Spain to their second World Cup title in the United States.
De la Fuente also has a staggering record himself, having won several accolades as Spain’s manager, from youth level all the way through to the senior side.
The Men’s Club of the Year award was picked up by Paris Saint-Germain, who lifted the Champions League for the second year in a row. After another historic season, they also lifted the Ligue 1 title.
The Women’s Club of the Year award went to Barcelona, who, as touched upon earlier, have become an incredibly successful side under the guidance of Romero.
The Sócrates Award, which recognises humanitarian work carried out by footballers, was won by Bukayo Saka for his efforts with BigShoe, providing medical care to children who are in desperate need.
His speech was particularly powerful, as he read out a letter from one of the boys he had helped.
The Gerd Müller Trophy, which recognises the best striker in the men’s and women’s game, was picked up by Harry Kane after an impressive 73 goals in 2026.
The women’s award went to Charlyn Corral of Pachuca in Mexico, who had an impressive tally of 49 goals.
The Yashin Trophy, which is presented to the best goalkeeper in both the men’s and women’s game, is named after the great Lev Yashin, who remains the only goalkeeper to have won the Ballon d’Or.
The women’s award was picked up by Barcelona’s Cata Coll, adding to what was already a staggering evening for the Catalan club. In the men’s game, it was Spaniard Unai Simón who picked up the award after an impressive campaign with Athletic Bilbao, as well as helping guide Spain to World Cup glory.
The Kopa Trophy, which recognises the best under-21 player in the game, saw Vicky López add another award to Barcelona’s growing collection in the women’s game, while Lamine Yamal picked up the trophy in the men’s category.
Then, of course, we get to the main event, and betting sites with welcome bonus offers were an example of the uncertainty as to who would win in the post-Messi and Ronaldo era.
The Ballon d’Or Féminin was picked up by Alexia Putellas for the third time, marking her first triumph since returning from a major knee injury. It was another remarkable achievement for the Spaniard, who had spent the majority of her career at Barcelona before moving to London City Lionesses in the summer.
And, of course, in the men’s game, the big question was whether it would be Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé or Harry Kane.
In the end, the award went to a well-deserved winner in Harry Kane, who enjoyed a staggering campaign with Bayern Munich and helped guide England to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Kane’s victory marked the first time an Englishman had won the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.
Men’s Ballon d’Or winners (2022–2026)
2026 – Harry Kane (England)
2025 – Ousmane Dembélé (France)
2024 – Rodri (Spain)
2023 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2022 – Karim Benzema (France)
Women’s Ballon d’Or winners (2022–2026)
2026 – Alexia Putellas (Spain)
2025 – Aitana Bonmatí (Spain)
2024 – Aitana Bonmatí (Spain)
2023 – Aitana Bonmatí (Spain)
2022 – Alexia Putellas (Spain)