Harry Kane thanked Tottenham for helping him achieve his dreams and praised his England team-mates after becoming the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or in 25 years.
The Bayern Munich striker edged out Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to claim the most prestigious individual award in world football at a ceremony in London on Monday. No English player had won it since Michael Owen in 2001.
Kane joined Tottenham at the age of eleven and left for Bayern Munich in 2023. He saved his warmest words for his former club during his speech after receiving the award.
Kane said: "I want to say thank you to Tottenham Hotspur. Certainly, I would not be where I am today without Tottenham."
He added: "I was there from the age of 11, and thanks to all the guidance and the coaches, I was given the chance to achieve my dream."
He continued: "Certainly, without all those moments we lived through together, with all the ups and downs the journey went through, I would not have reached this moment today. So I just want to say thank you to Tottenham Hotspur."
Among the coaches Kane singled out were Chris Ramsey, Tim Sherwood and Ryan Mason, the latter one of his closest friends.
At 33, having led England to third place at the 2026 World Cup, Kane also turned to his international team-mates in a lengthy and emotional speech.
He said: "To all my England team-mates, it has been a special year. It was not a perfect year, but we lived through plenty of good moments."
He added: "We built a strong bond between us, and we enjoyed a great team spirit, both in the way we play and in the way we are connected. It is a true honour to play alongside you and to be your captain."
He continued: "This award is for all of us, for sure."
Thomas Tuchel came in for praise too. "To Thomas Tuchel and the backroom staff, I thank you for leading us, and for the way you push us forward and raise the standards of performance," Kane said. "It is an honour for me to represent you."
He then turned to his wife. "To my wife Kate, my best friend, we have been through ups and downs together. You are my biggest supporter, and I felt you wanted this award more than I did."
He went on: "The anxious wait was long, but here we are, we have done it. You always want the best for me, and you sacrifice yourself to help me achieve my dreams. This achievement would not have been possible without you, and it is something we can celebrate together, not my achievement alone. We are one team, and I cannot wait to celebrate tonight. I love you."
His children were last. "My children watching me at home, it is certainly past your bedtime! To Ivy, Vivienne, Louis and Henry, you are the reason behind everything I do. This is a special award, and I cannot wait to bring it home and celebrate with you. I love you so much."