Harry Kane became the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or in 23 years after the award ceremony in London crowned him the world's best player.

Kane, 33, plays for Bayern Munich and is the fifth Englishman to win the prize. Michael Owen last won it for England in 2001. Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan won it in earlier decades.

The Bayern striker scored 61 goals in 51 club matches last season. Adding England appearances, he reached 73 goals and eight assists in 65 matches. Only Lionel Messi, with 82 goals for Barcelona and Argentina in 2011-12, has scored more in a single season across Europe's top five leagues.

Kane's 61 goals for Bayern broke the club's single-season goalscoring record. His 36 Bundesliga goals left the next closest player 17 goals behind. He also scored 14 Champions League goals and 10 German Cup goals, including a hat-trick in the final against Stuttgart.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe finished second in the voting. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal came third.

Kane won the award despite not winning either of football's biggest trophies last season. Bayern lost in the Champions League semi-finals, and England was knocked out of the World Cup in the semi-finals as well. Kane did win the German double with Bayern, and Bundesliga title the previous season.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said he was "delighted" by Kane's win. Prince William called the former Tottenham Hotspur player a "brilliant captain" and "remarkable player." Wembley Stadium's arches were lit in gold Monday night to celebrate.

Kane told Dazn the award reflected his determination through a career that required self-belief. "I had to go through many ups and downs, especially early in my career," he said. "I wasn't the person that people thought was going to be the superstar like some of the guys now."

Former England striker Alan Shearer backed Kane's win, saying his goalscoring numbers over the past 12 to 18 months had been "absolutely sensational."

Kane was the first Bayern player to win the Ballon d'Or since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.