Harry Kane, Putellas, and the Ballon d'Or: What Do We Know About the New Era of Football Royalty?

Two icons. One record-equalling night. And a career-defining move that reshaped the women's game. Inside the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony that crowned a new king and a returning queen.

On October 26, 2026, the football world gathered in London for the 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony. When the dust settled, two names stood above the rest: Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas.

Kane, the 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker, became the first Englishman to win the men's award since Michael Owen in 2001, capping off a stunning season that saw him score 77 goals in 68 appearances. Putellas, the 32-year-old Spanish midfielder, won the women's award for a record-equalling third time, reclaiming it from her Spain teammate Aitana Bonmati after a quadruple-winning season with Barcelona, before a career-defining move to London City Lionesses.

In this episode of CWEB, we break down the night's biggest winners. We explore the decade of patience behind Kane's historic victory, the grueling resilience that defines Putellas's reign, and what their wins signal about the shifting landscape of global football.

Tap play to hear our full analysis of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the records broken, and the legacy of two footballing giants.

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