Harry Kane was named the winner of the 2026 Men’s Gerd Muller Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on 26 October, after scoring 73 goals for club and country during the 2025/26 award period.
The Bayern Munich striker received the honour for the second time in his career, having been recognised as the most prolific goalscorer across the relevant season.
Kane’s total included goals scored for both his club and country in official matches. His 73-goal return placed him at the top of the ranking for the evaluation period and secured him the prestigious award at the ceremony, held at the London Palladium.
What is the Gerd Muller Trophy?
The award was first introduced by France Football in 2021 under the name Striker of the Year. It was renamed the Gerd Muller Trophy in 2022 to honour the legendary German forward.
Muller is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers in German football history. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1970 and was part of the West Germany team that lifted the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
The trophy is awarded to the player who scores the most goals, with the assessment based primarily on official matches for club and country during the relevant award period.
Kane previously won the trophy in 2024, when he shared it with Kylian Mbappe. He is now the first player listed among the winners to claim the award twice.
Previous Men’s Gerd Muller Trophy winners
– 2021: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
– 2022: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
– 2023: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
– 2024: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) and Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid)
– 2025: Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP/Arsenal)
The 2021 award was presented as the Striker of the Year award before adopting its current name the following year. The 2024 trophy was shared by Kane and Mbappe.
