England's soccer player Harry Kane wins the trophy for striker of the year during the Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre in London, England, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 . Kin Cheung/AP hide caption

Kin Cheung/AP

LONDON — Harry Kane became the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or on Monday thanks to his prolific scoring last season.

Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last campaign — he was Europe's top scorer — and smashed scoring records in Germany for Bayern Munich and at the World Cup, where he captained England to a third-place finish.

The 33-year-old Kane says winning the prestigious individual award was built on so much more.

"Anything is possible with hard work, when no one else is watching, to go through the ups and downs, to learn through resilience, determination and self-belief," an emotional Kane said in a message to young players, after reflecting on his early career struggles.

"My journey wasn't straightforward.…