"Given the trophies I have won....": Harry Kane on winning Ballon d'Or this year
Miami, June 3
England and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane feels that he is one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, football's highest individual honour this year, given the trophies he has achieved and his on-field performances this season.
Kane has had a wonderful season, having captured the Bundesliga and German Cup titles for his franchise, smashing a hat-trick in the latter's title clash recently. He also made it to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League and scored a total of 61 goals in the season, getting him the European Golden Shoe.
Speaking to L'Equipe ahead of the FIFA World Cup, as quoted by Goal.com, he said, "Given the trophies I have won this season and the goals I have scored, I would be in the running."
"Especially if England were to win the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, you could imagine the trophy going to an English player," he added.
He said that he considered "Michael (Olise), the Champions League finalists and myself" as the favourites for the award before the World Cup.
"But I am not the type to claim I deserve a Ballon d'Or; I let my performances on the pitch do the talking," he added.
The Ballon d'Or will be awarded on September 26 in London. Kane feels that the ceremony in his home town is a "good omen".
"Winning in my home town would be even more special," said the striker.
On scoring 61 goals this season for Bayern, Harry acknowledged that once a player crosses the 60-goal mark, they are in the same stratosphere as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"That is a pretty crazy tally. Once you hit 60 goals, you are in the same stratosphere as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Their numbers once felt out of reach to me," he said.
Kane is hoping that Thomas Tuchel, the current England manager, who was also with him at Bayern Munich, will lead the team to the title, defending him from media criticism over squad selection, which omitted several star players such as Cole Palmer and Harry Maguire.
"The ambition is, of course, to win. That has to be our goal. We know it will be difficult, but we have come close in recent years. At Bayern, I loved his personality, his ideas for the team and the way he got me playing. In a way, he has transferred his methods to the national team," Harry signed off.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, a striker who lets his boots do the talking! Kane's humility is refreshing in this age of social media hype. That 60-goal club he mentioned—Messi and Ronaldo territory—shows he belongs among the elites. But I have to point out: the Ballon d'Or often favors winners of major tournaments. If England can't deliver the World Cup, I still see Vinícius or maybe even Mbappé taking it. Let's be realistic, yaar! 🏆
As someone who follows football even in India, I think Harry Kane deserves serious recognition. The man scored 61 goals in a single season—that's 61! That's like scoring for fun. My only concern is that he's had these huge numbers before but hasn't won the big individual awards. Maybe it's time. But honestly, the Ballon d'Or should consider the whole year, not just the World Cup. Let's see what happens in September! 🌟
Great season from Kane, no question. But the Ballon d'Or is a global award, and we need to see how he performs in the biggest games. The Champions League semifinal exit might hurt his case. And while his self-belief is admirable, he's got stiff competition from players like Vinícius Jr. and Jude Bellingham—who are younger and winning trophies too. I'd love to see an English winner, but I think it's still wide open.
I appreciate Kane's honesty—he's not demanding the award, just stating facts based on his numbers. But honestly, as an Indian football fan, I wish the Ballon d'Or would also consider players from outside Europe sometimes. Like Salah last year was robbed! Anyway, Kane has had a fantastic season, and if England win the World Cup, I think he'll definitely be top three. Fingers crossed for a diverse race! 🇮🇳⚽
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