Harry Kane Joins Seven Ballon d’Or Winners Aged 33 or Older

Harry Kane has joined an exclusive group of football legends after winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or at 33, becoming the eighth player to win the prestigious award at that age or older since its introduction in 1956.

Kane beat strong contenders Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to claim football’s most prestigious individual award on Monday, October 26, 2026.

The Bayern Munich striker joins seven previous winners who were at least 33 when they received the men’s Ballon d’Or. The list includes Lionel Messi, who won the award at both 34 and 36, alongside Stanley Matthews, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Lev Yashin, Fabio Cannavaro, Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema.

Kane’s victory followed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign in which he scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern. He helped the German club win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, while his performances for England further strengthened his case for the award.

Seven players who won the Ballon d’Or at 33 or older

1. Stanley Matthews (1956)

Matthews won the inaugural Ballon d’Or at 41 years old. The English winger remains the oldest player to receive the award, having beaten Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stéfano and Raymond Kopa in the voting.

2. Alfredo Di Stéfano (1959)

Di Stéfano won his second Ballon d’Or in 1959 at 33. The Real Madrid forward had previously claimed the award in 1957 and was one of the defining players of European football in the 1950s.

3. Lev Yashin (1963)

Yashin received the Ballon d’Or at 34, becoming the first and only goalkeeper to win the men’s award. The Soviet Union legend remains the sole goalkeeper to achieve the feat.

4. Fabio Cannavaro (2006)

Cannavaro won the award at 33 after captaining Italy to victory at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. His performances in Germany helped establish him as one of the finest defenders of his generation.

5. Luka Modrić (2018)

Modrić claimed the Ballon d’Or at 33 after helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and leading Croatia to the World Cup final. His victory ended the decade-long dominance of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

6. Lionel Messi (2021 and 2023)

Messi won his seventh Ballon d’Or in 2021 at 34, before claiming his eighth at 36 in 2023. His first victory in his thirties followed his performances for Barcelona and Argentina, while his 2023 triumph came after Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Argentine remains the only player to win the men’s Ballon d’Or twice after turning 33.

7. Karim Benzema (2022)

Benzema won the award at 34 after an outstanding season with Real Madrid. His goals helped the Spanish club secure both the Champions League and La Liga titles.

Kane becomes the eighth player

Kane’s victory adds another name to a list spanning seven decades of football history.

The England captain is also the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a 25-year wait for another English winner.

His achievement is particularly significant given the demands placed on modern forwards. At 33, Kane continues to deliver exceptional goalscoring numbers while competing against younger players for individual honours.

His move to Bayern Munich in 2023 helped him secure major domestic trophies after years without a major team title at Tottenham Hotspur.

Now, with the Ballon d’Or added to his achievements, Kane has joined a select group of players whose performances earned football’s highest individual recognition well into their thirties.