Harry Kane Wins Ballon d'Or; Virat Kohli Hails England Captain

New Delhi, October 27: Cricket icon Virat Kohli has celebrated England football captain Harry Kane's success after the striker was honoured with the Ballon d'Or. Kohli believes the award is a fitting reward for Kane's years of excellence.

Sharing his thoughts on X, Kohli praised Kane's approach to his career. “Harry, my friend, the way you have carried yourself at the top of football for so many years, with passion, hard work and honesty, makes you completely deserving of this award,” he wrote. He said he was very happy for Kane and prayed for blessings for him and his family, adding that they must be extremely proud of him, just as Kane must be proud of his own journey.

Kane came out on top ahead of notable rivals, among them France's Kylian Mbappe and Spain's Lamine Yamal. The honour was handed over during a ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre.

With this win, Kane becomes just the fifth Englishman to claim the Ballon d'Or. He follows Sir Stanley Matthews (1956), Sir Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979) and Michael Owen (2001). He is also the first English player to win the award in the last 25 years.

During the 2025/26 Bundesliga season, Kane netted 36 goals for Bayern Munich, securing his second European Golden Shoe. His 61 goals for the German club across all competitions made headlines around the world.

Kane further added to his honours by receiving the Gerd Muller Trophy, presented to the best men's striker of the year. This marks his second win of the award, as he previously shared it with Kylian Mbappe in 2024.

Kane had a season full of goals for Bayern Munich and England, scoring 73 times in 65 games. Of those strikes, 61 came for his club and 12 for his country.

His contribution also helped England reach third place at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The result was England's best showing since their 1966 World Cup triumph.