England captain Harry Kane and Mexico’s Charlyn Corral have been named the best male and female strikers of the year at the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards after outstanding goalscoring campaigns.
Kane, who plays for German champions Bayern Munich, claimed the men’s award after scoring 73 goals, the highest tally among the contenders during the assessment period.
The award was determined by goals scored rather than voting.
The England international received his prize from former England striker Alan Shearer and actress Sophie Turner at the ceremony.
Describing the achievement as a career highlight, Kane said the previous season was the best he had enjoyed as a professional footballer.
“It was an incredible year for me last year, it was the best season of my career without a doubt,” he said.
“To score this amount of goals is something I am very proud of, but it would not be possible without my teammates and my family.”
Corral, who plays for Mexican club CF Pachuca, won the women’s award, becoming the first Mexican to receive the honour.
She was presented with the prize at the ceremony, where she celebrated the achievement as a landmark moment for herself and Mexican women’s football.
“I am very happy to be here, the first Mexican to receive this prize and full of pride because my country, Mexico, is doing very well in women’s football,” Corral said through an interpreter.
The awards recognise the leading goalscorers in men’s and women’s football, highlighting their performances in front of goal during the assessment period.
Kane’s record-breaking tally underlined his prolific form, while Corral’s triumph marked a significant milestone for Mexico on the international football stage.
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