Kane Beats Yamal to Win Major Football Award Ahead of Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has beaten Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to win the MARCA 100 award for the 2025/26 season, strengthening his profile ahead of Monday’s 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Kane finished first with 3,962 points in the annual ranking organised by Spanish sports newspaper MARCA, edging Yamal, who scored 3,937 points, by just 25 points. Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé finished third with 3,440 points.

The award is decided by an international jury of journalists, former professional footballers and coaches. A total of 226 voters selected their top 15 players from a list of 100 nominees, with points allocated according to their rankings.

Kane’s victory comes after an outstanding campaign in which the England captain delivered impressive goalscoring numbers for Bayern Munich and his national team.

The striker scored 61 goals for Bayern across all competitions during the 2025/26 season and recorded 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country between August 2025 and July 2026, according to reports on the award.

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His performances helped Bayern secure major domestic honours, while his individual achievements further strengthened his credentials ahead of the Ballon d’Or announcement.

Kane also finished among the leading scorers in the UEFA Champions League and claimed the European Golden Shoe after an outstanding domestic league campaign.

Yamal, meanwhile, finished second in the MARCA 100 ranking after another impressive season for Barcelona and Spain. The young forward remains among the leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or, alongside Kane and Mbappé. <Cite refs=

Mbappé’s third-place finish in the MARCA ranking adds to the attention surrounding the Real Madrid forward ahead of football’s major individual awards ceremony.

The MARCA 100 award has previously been won by Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior and Yamal, who claimed the 2024/25 edition before finishing behind Kane this time.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26. The event marks the first time the prestigious football awards ceremony will be held in London.

Kane is among the leading contenders for the men’s Ballon d’Or following his remarkable goalscoring season, but his MARCA 100 victory does not determine the outcome of the separate award, which is decided through its own voting process.