Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has said he hopes Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, his hometown, will be a “special night”. The England captain is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the prize.
The 33-year-old enjoyed a remarkable season, scoring 73 goals for club and country. That tally is the second-highest in history, behind only Lionel Messi’s 82 in the 2010-2011 season.
Kane’s standout display against Arsenal
Kane’s form continued on Wednesday, when he again ran rings around Arsenal, the club he had often punished during his time at Tottenham. Since moving to Germany in 2023, he has shown how complete a forward he has become.
At one stage he dropped deep to take goal kicks and help launch Bayern’s attacks. He also delivered a precise long-range pass that set up Alphonso Davies for the equaliser in the first half.
After the break, Kane won a penalty and then scored from the spot to put Bayern ahead. Declan Rice, his England teammate, struck late for Arsenal to salvage a 2-2 draw.
Rivals, voting criteria and Kane’s record
Kane is odds-on to collect his first Ballon d’Or, although the race is far from settled. Few recent editions have featured such a wide field of contenders.
He faces strong competition from Spain’s World Cup-winning pair, Lamine Yamal and Rodri, as well as France captain Kylian Mbappe and his Bayern teammate Michael Olise. Yamal and Mbappe have been especially vocal in making the case for themselves. Kane, despite being questioned repeatedly by the media, has stayed measured.
Officially, the award considers three broad areas: individual performance and character, team performance, and class and fair play. Recent winners have typically either won the Champions League or World Cup, or built their case on sheer volume of goals and output. Kane clearly fits the second category.
Kane has long been criticised for a lack of team honours at Tottenham. He now has five with Bayern, including last season’s league and cup double. However, Bayern’s dominance in Germany could count against him with voters.
Bayern reached the Champions League semifinals, where they narrowly lost to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. England finished third at the World Cup, with Kane scoring six times and providing an assist. Kane has also scored in each of his last 10 Champions League appearances, one short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record run of 11.
Praise from Kompany, Rice and England legends
Kane said he was pleased to be linked with Ronaldo. “Whenever you’re in any conversation with Ronaldo it means you’re doing something special, especially in this competition,” he said.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany focused on Kane’s contribution to the team. “What made Harry happy the most in recent years is that he finally won his first team trophies here,” Kompany said. He added that a Ballon d’Or would be deserved given the way Kane has played for the side.
Rice was effusive after the Arsenal game, calling Kane the clear winner of the award. “Harry is the clear winner [of the Ballon d’Or]. His numbers speak for themselves. The year he had is remarkable,” he said.
Former England midfielder Steven Gerrard, joined by Jude Bellingham, described Kane as “arguably the best England player there’s been” following his performance against Arsenal.
Michael Owen was the last Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or, in 2001. The last Bayern player to receive the honour was Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a striker, in 1981.
Kane was cautious about the prospect of victory. “Monday could be a special night. We’ll have to wait and see,” he said. He added that his focus remained on upcoming matches, including one on Sunday.
