Harry Kane knows how to make a crowd stand up as one man. Whether in the jersey of Tottenham (2011-2023), Bayern Munich (since 2023) or England (since 2015), the English striker has become accustomed to making his audience roar in stadiums around the world. On Monday, October 26, it was at his home in London that he made almost all of the 2,286 spectators stand up in an unusual place for him: the London Palladium theater, venue for the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
History will remember that it was not in Westminster, but here that Prince Harry was crowned, becoming king after a daunting 2025-2026 season, with 73 goals scored in 65 matches, a championship and a German Cup won, and a third place at the 2026 World Cup with England. With this record, the Bayern Munich striker is ahead of the two other big favorites: Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. All in front of his audience, wild inside the room and outside, in the streets of Soho, in the heart of the capital.
For the first time in history, the Ballon d'Or ceremony was relocated to London, in tribute to Stanley Matthews, the first winner of the trophy 70 years ago. The idea was beautiful, and destiny sublimated it. Because in addition to being crowned in his country, Harry Kane, captain of England, was crowned in his hometown, the child of Walthamstow in the great suburbs of London. He, above all, the legend of Tottenham, a major club in north London, which he left in 2023 with the label of eternal loser.
Before returning there, Monday October 26, 2026, through the very large door, after three seasons at Bayern Munich which filled his trophy cabinet and made him the 2026 Golden Ball. "I am speechless", reacted hotly, on the Palladium stage, Harry Kane, before multiplying his thanks and admitting, his voice hoarse with emotion, that "receiving him in London is even more special", while the "Harry! Harry Harry!” were coming down from the stands. A first in a ceremony hitherto dominated by supporters of Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.
In the streets of London, it was Harry Kane that was on everyone's lips as the ceremony approached. All the English supporters interviewed in the capital were unanimous: their captain deserved the prestigious award. Even the sky had chosen its candidate, with continuous rain appearing in the capital on Monday, after a sunny Sunday. However, this was not enough to prevent preparations for the ceremony, quickly, with the installation of the red carpet in the morning, on Argyll Street, in the heart of Soho.
At nightfall, these small streets wedged between Chinatown and Oxford Circus have become the center of the world. An impressive crowd crowded there to try to approach the football stars expected on the red carpet, creating a human traffic jam in front of the windows of Regent Street. In this jubilation, which was difficult to contain by the security services, we could have thought that we could have filled a stadium with all these people. Perched on a red double-decker bus, rapper French Montana had no trouble breaking through the crowd to kick off the festivities at 6 p.m.
The start of a long red carpet sequence, closer to the Cannes festival than to the World Cup final. In the crowd, we heard a few French people repeating the refrains in praise of Ousmane Dembélé, injured and the only representative of PSG, since the Parisians were hosting OL at the Parc des Princes at the same time (2-0). It was also he who was responsible for collecting the prize for best team of the year, won for the second year in a row by PSG.
London traffic not helping, the parade stretched longer than expected, while the Barcelona delegation was late. Result: the ceremony started 45 minutes late, which the public filled with beers and chips, a menu which contrasted with the sumptuous decor of the Palladium and its moldings carved in wood. The first big favorite to enter the room, Kylian Mbappé attracted all eyes.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane and the Bavarian delegation walked the red carpet. "It's very special. I'm very happy to be here. My fate is not in my hands. We'll see how it goes. I'm very happy to be one of the best players in the world," announced the Englishman, far from suspecting what would happen next. Like Lamine Yamal, crowned best youngster for the third time at the start of the ceremony, Harry Kane would have the opportunity to take the stage for the first time, to receive his award for top scorer of the season.
The opportunity to hear a bit of Shakespeare's language in this legendary theater, after an impressive series of awards given to Spanish football (best youngster, best scorer, best goalkeepers, best coaches, best women's team...). Then, after a musical interlude, the two Ballon d'Or winners finally appeared on stage, after two hours of ceremonies. The first would reward Alexia Putellas, crowned for the third time.
The second was going to be given by the Brazilian Ronaldo to Harry Kane, in disbelief in the front row, who had become the first Englishman crowned since Michael Owen, in 2001, and present a few minutes earlier on stage. Moved to tears, the English captain then began his media marathon, not forgetting to thank Bayern Munich, but above all his long-time club, Tottenham, and all the English people, of whom he is more than ever the other king, after this coronation at home.
