European press hails Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or win as long-awaited justice
Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday in London, beating Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, with European media unanimously praising the English striker's achievement. French newspaper L'Équipe called it "the end of a long quest for the former loser," describing the award as a form of "immanent justice" for a player long mocked for his empty trophy cabinet. The BBC noted Kane's German double last season more than doubled his career trophy total, while Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher celebrated the long-awaited win for England. Spanish outlet Marca was more reserved, pointing out Kane has won no major international trophies, unlike World Cup champion Yamal, and noted Spain again missed out on the award in a World Cup year, as in 2010.