How close every Premier League club has come to a Ballon d’Or winner

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or at the London Palladium on Monday 26 October, beating Kylian Mbappe by 1,055 points to 1,027 in one of the closest votes in the award’s history. For anyone who follows the betting on football’s individual awards, it was a landmark night as Kane became the first Englishman to win it since Michael Owen in 2001. Kane won it at Bayern Munich, though, and Rodri was the highest-placed Premier League player, in fourth.

Only three players have won the Ballon d’Or while playing in the Premier League: Owen at Liverpool in 2001, Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United in 2008 and Rodri at Manchester City in 2024. Counting the old First Division adds four more: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool, 1956), Denis Law (1964), Bobby Charlton (1966) and George Best (1968), all three at Manchester United. That makes seven winners from English clubs in 70 years.

So how close has each of this season’s 20 Premier League clubs come? One rule applies throughout: the player has to have been at the club when the votes were cast. A great season followed by a summer transfer counts for the new club, not the old one.

The winners: Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool

Manchester United are the only club with winners from before and during the Premier League era. Law won in 1964 with 61 points, Charlton in 1966 with 81, Best in 1968 with 61, and Ronaldo in 2008 with 446. Charlton was also runner-up in 1967 and in 1968, when United players finished first and second. David Beckham came second in 1999 and Ronaldo second in 2007.

Manchester City’s winner is Rodri, who took the 2024 award with 1,170 points. City have also had a runner-up, Erling Haaland in 2023, and a third place, Kevin De Bruyne in 2022. Rodri’s fourth place this year was the best Premier League finish in 2026.

Liverpool won through Owen in 2001. He scored 176 points, and Beckham was fourth that year. Liverpool have also had two runners-up: Kenny Dalglish in 1983 and Virgil van Dijk, who scored 679 points in 2019. Sadio Mane’s second place in 2022 doesn’t count here, because he had joined Bayern Munich before the vote. Kevin Keegan’s second place in 1977 doesn’t count either, because he had moved to Hamburg that summer.

Second place: Arsenal and Chelsea

Arsenal have never had a winner, but Thierry Henry came close several times. He finished second in 2003 with 128 points, behind Juventus’s Pavel Nedved. He was also third in 2006 and fourth in 2000, 2004 and 2005.

Chelsea’s best is Frank Lampard, second in 2005 with 148 points, behind Barcelona’s Ronaldinho. Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard was third that year, so English players filled second and third. Jorginho finished third for Chelsea in 2021.

Third place: Tottenham, Newcastle and Fulham

Tottenham’s highest finisher is Jimmy Greaves, third in 1963 with 50 points, behind Lev Yashin (73) and Gianni Rivera (55). Paul Gascoigne came fourth in 1990. Jurgen Klinsmann finished second in 1995 after his season at White Hart Lane, but he was a Bayern Munich player by the time of the vote. The same goes for Gareth Bale, ninth in 2013 after his move to Real Madrid. Kane himself finished tenth while at Spurs, in 2017 and in 2018. Spurs did get a mention from him in his acceptance speech. Kane, who joined the club at 11, said: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without Tottenham for sure.”

Newcastle’s highest finisher is Alan Shearer, third in 1996 behind Matthias Sammer and Ronaldo. Shearer had joined from Blackburn Rovers that summer, so he was a Newcastle player when the votes were cast. The ranking gives him 107 points, although France Football recorded 109.

Fulham have the surprise on this list. Johnny Haynes finished third in 1961 with 22 points, behind Omar Sivori and Luis Suarez. No Fulham player has received a vote since 1961.

The rest of the top ten: Leeds, Forest, Everton and Ipswich

Leeds’ best is Billy Bremner, fifth in 1973 behind Johan Cruyff, Dino Zoff, Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer. John Charles finished sixth in 1957 but had joined Juventus by the time of the vote.

Nottingham Forest’s best is Trevor Francis, joint seventh in 1979, the year Forest first won the European Cup. Peter Shilton came tenth in 1978.

Everton’s best is eighth, by Alan Ball in 1966. He had joined from Blackpool after winning the World Cup with England that summer. Wayne Rooney was also eighth in 2004, but he had joined Manchester United by the time of the vote. Gary Lineker finished second in 1986 after his one season at Goodison Park, but he had joined Barcelona by then.

Ipswich’s best is John Wark, joint ninth in 1981, the season Ipswich won the UEFA Cup.

The others

Aston Villa’s best is Paul McGrath, joint 12th in 1990. Emiliano Martinez finished 15th in 2023 and 18th in 2024.

Sunderland’s best is Jim Baxter, joint 13th in 1965, the year he joined from Rangers. Asamoah Gyan was 18th in the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or.

Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton, Coventry City, Crystal Palace and Hull City have never had a player finish in a Ballon d’Or ranking.