Ballon d'Or website blunder causes confusion

Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror report that Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in London. WhatNews (සිංහල), Ada Derana, Hiru News and Hiru News (සිංහල) also report the win and say it ends a 25-year gap since an English player last received the honour. Sri Lanka Mirror identifies that previous winner as Michael Owen, in 2001.

Newswire reports that Alèxia Putellas won the women’s award. Sri Lanka Mirror reports that Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappé finished second in the men’s ranking, with Barcelona and Spain attacker Lamine Yamal third.

Sri Lanka Mirror reports that Kane, a Bayern Munich striker and England captain, scored 61 goals in 51 club appearances last season, a club single-season record, and had 73 goals plus eight assists in 65 matches when England games are included. The outlet says only one player at a club in one of Europe’s five leading leagues has scored more goals in a season. It also reports Kane won despite his teams falling in the semi-finals of both the World Cup and Champions League, and that he became Bayern’s first Ballon d’Or winner since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.

Sri Lanka Mirror reports that Kane described his career as involving setbacks and said persistence and self-belief had helped him develop. It also reports that England manager Thomas Tuchel welcomed the win, while Prince William praised Kane’s leadership and playing ability. Sri Lanka Mirror lists Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan among earlier English winners, and Denis Law and George Best as other United Kingdom winners.