Michael Owen remains the last English player to win the Ballon d'Or, with his 2001 triumph still standing as the benchmark for England at the game’s most famous individual awards ceremony. More than two decades on, that is the historical reference point as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are among the 30 nominees for 2026.
The scale of the drought is striking. Only four Englishmen have ever won the Ballon d'Or, and Owen’s victory in 2001 is the most recent. The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be hosted in London on Monday, October 26, 2026, making the occasion especially significant for English football.
Owen’s 2001 win still stands alone
Owen won the award with 176 points after a remarkable 2000/01 season for Liverpool, when he scored 24 goals and helped the club complete a clean sweep of major domestic and European success with the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and League Cup. He was only 22 years old at the time, underlining how quickly he had reached the top of the European game.
That victory also fits into a short but notable English history with the prize. Sir Stanley Matthews won the first Ballon d'Or in 1956. Sir Bobby Charlton followed in 1966 after helping England to the World Cup. Kevin Keegan then won it in 1978 and again in 1979. Owen’s success in 2001 is the last time an English player has taken the honour.
England’s modern contenders face a long wait
The current group of nominees gives England another chance to end that wait. Kane, Bellingham and Rice have all been included among the 30 names for 2026, with the London ceremony adding extra focus to the country’s hopes.
There is also a wider historical backdrop to that conversation. In 2005, Ronaldinho won the Ballon d'Or with 225 points, while Frank Lampard finished second and Steven Gerrard third. That serves as another reminder of how close English players have come without quite getting back to the top step.
For now, though, the answer to the headline question is clear. Michael Owen is the last English player to win the Ballon d'Or, and his 2001 success remains the standard that no one from England has matched since.
