Harry Kane finally has the one trophy that eluded him through a decade of near-misses: the Ballon d'Or. The Bayern Munich striker was named the world's best player at Monday night's ceremony in London, beating out Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé.

Kane becomes the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001 — a 25-year drought for a nation that has produced plenty of stars but, until now, no Ballon d'Or winners in the modern era. The ceremony, held at the London Palladium, marked the first time the 70th edition of the award has been handed out in the United Kingdom, a nod to Stanley Matthews, the award's first-ever winner back in 1956.

A Career-Defining Season

Kane's case rested on a dominant campaign for both Bayern Munich and the England national team, where his finishing and all-around play were credited with elevating teammates around him. According to ESPN's full rankings from the ceremony, the men's top six finished Kane, Mbappé, Yamal, Rodri, Lionel Messi and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — a list spanning three generations of the sport's biggest names.

FIRST ENGLISH WINNER IN 25 YEARS.

The ceremony wasn't without its hiccups — Sky Sports reported the event was delayed roughly 45 minutes because of London traffic, pushing the start to 8:45 p.m. local time. Once underway, though, the night belonged to Kane, who has spent years as English football's most prolific but least decorated star, repeatedly finishing as a runner-up for major trophies with both club and country.

Women's Award Goes to Putellas

In the women's competition, Spain and Barcelona star Alexia Putellas won her third Ballon d'Or Féminin, cementing her place among the most decorated women's players in the sport's history, according to NPR's recap of the full ceremony.

Context: The Long Wait

Kane had entered this season as the bookmakers' favorite, with some betting markets giving him better than two-to-one odds in the weeks before the ceremony. But favorites have fallen short before in an award that often rewards team success — Champions League and major international titles — as much as individual numbers. Kane's path to the trophy ran through a title-laden year at Bayern Munich, where his goal-scoring has been paired with team silverware in a way his trophy-starved Tottenham years never allowed.

What's Next

Kane will return to Bundesliga and Champions League duty with Bayern in the coming weeks, while England's national team continues preparations for its next major tournament cycle with its newly minted Ballon d'Or winner leading the line.