Kane ends England's wait as Putellas matches Ballon d'Or record

Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal after scoring 73 goals for club and country, becoming the first English winner in 25 years. [16][18][20] Alexia Putellas won the women's prize for a record-equalling third time after captaining Barcelona to a quadruple, extending Spanish players' run to six consecutive awards. [24] Earlier nominee profiles had appeared prematurely online, but an award spokesperson said profiles had been prepared for all nominees and were not evidence of the final rankings. [25] Why it matters: The awards mark two different milestones: Kane ended England's wait since Michael Owen in 2001, while Putellas joined Aitana Bonmati on three women's titles. Putellas earned recognition for her Barcelona season after moving to London City Lionesses in July. [18][20][24] Key insights: Kane became the fifth English player to win the men's award; his season included 73 goals and England's run to the World Cup semifinals. [18][20] | Putellas and Aitana Bonmati have shared the past six women's awards, with three wins apiece. [24] | Kane's former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood described his route from EFL loans to the award as a 'Cinderella story'; that is Sherwood's assessment of the career arc. [16] | The premature website posts covered multiple contenders, so their publication could not establish a winner or finishing order. [25] Cheatsheet facts: What happened: Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or, while Alexia Putellas took her third women's award. [20][24] | Why: Kane scored 73 goals for club and country; Putellas captained Barcelona to a four-trophy season. [18][20][24] | The catch: Profiles published before the ceremony were prepared for all nominees, the award spokesperson said, and did not indicate the rankings. [25] | What we don't know: The supplied evidence does not provide either winner's vote total or winning margin. [20][24]