England captain Harry Kane has won the men's Ballon d'Or for the first time in his career, ending a quarter-century drought for English football. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich forward was presented with the honor at a ceremony at the London Palladium, becoming the first English player to claim the coveted France Football accolade since Michael Owen secured it in 2001.

Kane's victory follows an extraordinary campaign in which he registered 73 goals in 65 matches across all competitions for club and country. His prolific form guided Bayern Munich to a domestic league and cup double, alongside leading England to the World Cup semifinals. Kane, who topped European club scoring charts, outpaced formidable rivals in the voting, including Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe.

During his acceptance speech, Kane highlighted the resilience required throughout his career while thanking his teammates and family. "Without you guys and the rest of the team it wouldn't be possible. I didn't go straight to the top; I had to experience a lot of loan moves and fight my way to get to where I am now. I hope that can give young players inspiration," Kane stated, acknowledging the enduring support of his wife Kate and his formative years at Tottenham Hotspur.

In other categories, Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas collected the women's Ballon d'Or for the third time following a treble-winning season with Barcelona. Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal secured the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year, while Spain's Unai Simon received the Yashin Trophy for top goalkeeper, and Paris Saint-Germain was crowned men's club of the year.

Source: www.dw.com