Harry Kane has become the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or, and the achievement has prompted fresh calls for the England captain to be awarded a knighthood.
Downing Street has congratulated the former Tottenham Hotspur striker on his victory, with the Prime Minister's official spokeswoman praising the landmark win.
Downing Street praise
Asked whether the Prime Minister had a message for Kane and if the striker should become "Sir Harry", the PM's official spokeswoman said: "Yes, the PM would like to congratulate Harry Kane on winning the Ballon d'Or."
"To be the first Englishman to win it in 25 years is an extraordinary achievement, and what a moment to do it here at home, 70 years after Sir Stanley Matthews won the inaugural award."
Piling praise on Kane, Downing Street stressed: "It caps a remarkable season and Harry continues to set a brilliant example to young players across the country, and the PM knows the whole nation will be incredibly proud of him.
"And, hopefully, there's another trophy to celebrate with England before too long."
Knighthood speculation
Pressed on whether the Prime Minister, himself a keen footballer, would like to see the player knighted, she added: "On your question about a knighthood, I think everyone would agree, Harry Kane has given an enormous amount to English football, and this is a very special moment for him in the country.
"But, as ever, I'm not going to pre-empt the honours process."
Andy Burnham has also led congratulations to Kane after the England captain's triumph.
A landmark career
Kane's victory caps a remarkable career that has seen him establish himself as England's all-time leading goalscorer and one of the country's most successful modern footballers.
The Walthamstow-born striker first rose to prominence at Tottenham Hotspur before becoming one of world football's most prolific forwards. His Ballon d'Or success, beating Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, places him alongside some of the game's biggest names and marks a landmark moment for English football.
The award had not been won by an English player for a quarter of a century, making Kane's triumph one of the most significant individual honours for a homegrown footballer in a generation.
A historic night
His Ballon d'Or success also comes exactly 70 years after Matthews became the first-ever recipient of the award, adding further flourish to a night that will go down as one of the highlights of Kane's career.
Michael Owen was the last player from England to receive the prestigious individual accolade in 2001, and Kane's incredible 73-goal haul last season for club and country earned him the award from French magazine France Football.
He followed in the footsteps of Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen as a Ballon d'Or winner from England. For many England fans, the only question now is whether the striker's next triumph is a place on the honours list.
