London hosted the 70th annual Ballon d'Or ceremony in 2026, where English star Harry Kane was crowned the world's best player, surpassing rivals Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. In addition to the Ballon d'Or, Kane secured the Gerd Müller trophy as the top scorer in European leagues for the 2025-2026 season. In the women's category, Alexia Putellas was named the best player, while Charlene Karl received the Gerd Müller award for top female scorer. The event also honored Luis de la Fuente as best coach, Unai Simón as best goalkeeper, and Cata Coll as best female goalkeeper. Bukayo Saka was awarded the Socrates Prize for humanitarian work, and Paris Saint-Germain and the FC Barcelona women's team were recognized as the top clubs.