Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or Ambitions: A New Chapter at Bayern Munich
It’s not every day that a player openly discusses their aspirations for the prestigious Ballon d’Or, but Harry Kane is not your everyday player. The 31-year-old striker, who has been a force to reckon with on the field, recently shared his thoughts on his chances of clinching the coveted award. Since his move to Bayern Munich, Kane believes his “aura” as a player has significantly improved, giving him a real shot at the next men’s Ballon d’Or.
For those who have followed Kane’s career, his confidence is not surprising. As England’s all-time leading goalscorer, Kane has consistently demonstrated his prowess on the field. This season alone, he has netted 32 goals and provided 11 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions for Bayern. His contributions have been instrumental in helping the German giants top the Bundesliga table and secure a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals.
It’s worth noting that no English player has won the Ballon d’Or since former Liverpool striker Michael Owen in 2001. However, Kane believes his August 2023 move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern has bolstered his chances of winning men’s football’s top individual award.
“Just being at a club like Bayern Munich has helped push me on even more, confidence-wise and responsibility-wise,” Kane told reporters ahead of Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Albania.
He continued, “I feel like I’ve definitely got better, I’ve improved, and maybe the ‘aura’ of me as a player is a bit more respected than what it has been in the past, because you’re playing in big games, big nights.”
Kane’s reflections on his career trajectory are insightful. He acknowledges that to be considered for the Ballon d’Or, one must win enough team trophies and likely score around 40 goals in a season. “That’s probably what I mean in terms of being respected more worldwide, on the bigger stage,” he explained. “For something like that, you have to win enough team trophies to be considered in that and probably score 40-odd goals, but that is a possibility this season.”
Despite his impressive goal-scoring feats, Kane feels that his achievements are not always fully appreciated. He draws a parallel with football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who set the bar incredibly high with their goal-scoring records. “It’s like when [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi were throwing these crazy numbers out there and the next season they’d score 40 goals instead of 50. It was like they were having a bad season,” Kane said.
He added, “People take it for granted and maybe a little bit with England as well. I’ve scored 69 goals and when you score against Albania or Latvia, or these teams, people just expect it so it’s not spoken about so much.”
Kane also touched on the perception of his career at this stage. “If I was 25 now and doing what I’m doing, the excitement around me would maybe be a little bit different to what it is now. That’s part of where we are with football … Maybe people just get a little bit bored of what you do, but I’m certainly not bored. I’m excited for these games and the games ahead.”
As Kane continues to make his mark at Bayern Munich, his aspirations for the Ballon d’Or seem well within reach. With his current form and the support of a top-tier club, the football world will be watching closely to see if he can achieve this personal milestone.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN
