Harry Kane has become the first English footballer in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or, receiving the 70th edition of the award at the London Palladium during a ceremony on Monday. The Bayern Munich striker, who scored 73 goals last season for club and country, was also presented with the Gerd Muller Trophy for best striker on the same night.
Michael Owen was the last English player to receive the Ballon d'Or in 2001. Kane's victory marks a historic moment for English football, ending a quarter-century wait for the prestigious honour.
Emotional acceptance speech
On stage, an emotional Kane said: "Wow, I'm almost speechless. First of all, thanks again to France Football and the Ballon d'Or for this amazing event. Being in London, it is extra special, it felt like a good omen. Thank you to everyone for voting for me. I can imagine it was very tough."
He paid tribute to his wife, Kate, during his acceptance speech, saying: "To my wife Kate, my best friend. We've been through ups and downs. You are my biggest support and I felt like you wanted this more than me. The anxious wait...here it is, we done it and you always want the best for me. You sacrifice yourself to make me achieve my dreams. This wouldn't be possible without you and it is something we can celebrate, not me. We're a team. I can't wait to celebrate tonight. I love you."
Kane also addressed his children watching at home, saying: "My kids, sat home watching, it's definitely past your bedtime. To Ivy, Vivienne, Louis and Henry, you are the reason I do it. This is a special one and I can't wait to bring this home and celebrate with you. I love you very much."
Thanks to Tottenham and young players
He thanked his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, saying: "I want to say thank you to Tottenham Hotspur as well. I wouldn't be where I am today without Tottenham for sure. I was there from 11 years old, all the guidance and all the coaches, you allowed me to live my dream."
Reflecting on his career path, he offered a message to young footballers: "It's just the journey. For any young boy or girl who wants to achieve their dream, anything is possible. I hope my journey, it wasn't straightforward, 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 you inspiration and thank you very much."
Previous English winners
Kane joins an elite group of just four other Englishmen who have won the award. Sir Stanley Matthews won the inaugural European Footballer of the Year award, which became the Ballon d'Or, in 1956. Playing for Blackpool at the time, the 41-year-old beat Real Madrid's Alfredo Di Stefano into second place and Raymond Kopa into third.
Sir Bobby Charlton won the award in 1966 for his performances for England at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, which the Three Lions won on home soil. Charlton scored three goals during the tournament, including both goals in England's 2-1 semi-final victory over Portugal.
Kevin Keegan won the award back-to-back in 1978 and 1979 while playing for Hamburg, helping the club win their first Bundesliga title since 1960 in the second season. Keegan scored 17 league goals that season, including 11 in the final 12 matches of the campaign.
Most recently, Michael Owen won the Ballon d'Or in 2001, finishing ahead of Spain's Raul and Germany's Oliver Kahn. Owen scored twice in the final 10 minutes of their 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Arsenal to secure the trophy, while also winning the League Cup and UEFA Cup that year.
