Harry Kane makes history as first to win Ballon d'Or and Gerd Müller Trophy same year
England captain Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or at Monday's ceremony in London, beating Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal to become the first player ever to claim both the Ballon d'Or and Gerd Müller Trophy in a single year. The Bayern Munich striker, 33, scored 73 goals with 8 assists across all competitions last season while leading his club to the Bundesliga, German Cup, and German Super Cup treble.
The Gerd Müller Trophy — awarded to the highest scorer during the voting period — went to Kane earlier in the evening, setting up the historic double. No player had previously achieved both honours in the same edition since the striker award's 2021 inception.
For Nigerian football fans, the ceremony also featured Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, currently at Galatasaray, among the global stars in attendance. While no African player cracked the top three this year, Kane's achievement raises the bar for individual excellence in a season where collective trophies and goal output aligned perfectly.
What does it take for an African attacker to join this exclusive club — consistent European golden boots, Champions League glory, or something else entirely?