Kane seeks first Ballon d’Or after 73-goal season

Harry Kane said he hoped for a “special night” at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, after AFP reported on Oct. 23 that the Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals last season.

Kane’s total for club and country was the second-best mark in history, behind Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2010-2011, making the award a test of individual output against team honours.

Repeatedly asked after Bayern’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Arsenal on Wednesday, Kane said: “I try not to think about it. Obviously, it’s hard.”

“There’s rumours flying around, so you try and stay away from it. I’m going to try and enjoy Monday night as much as possible. It’s a big occasion and a big event.”

AFP reported that betting markets have Kane as the favourite for what would be his first Ballon d’Or, football’s most prominent individual award. The field also includes Spain’s World Cup-winning Lamine Yamal and Rodri, France captain Kylian Mbappe and Bayern teammate Michael Olise.

Kane strengthened his case against Arsenal. He set up Alphonso Davies for Bayern’s first goal with a long pass, then won and scored a penalty before England teammate Declan Rice equalised late for Arsenal.

Rice backed his international captain after the match. “Harry is the clear winner [of the Ballon d’Or]. His numbers speak for themselves.

The year he had is remarkable,” he said.

Kane left Tottenham and London for Bayern Munich in 2023. AFP reported that he has five trophies with Bayern after last year’s league and cup double, a contrast with his long spell at Tottenham, where criticism often centred on the absence of team silverware.

The award’s stated criteria cover individual performance and character, team performance, and class or fair play. AFP reported that recent winners have tended to benefit from Champions League or World Cup success, or from exceptional numbers; Kane’s strongest case rests on the latter.

Bayern reached the Champions League semifinals before losing narrowly to eventual winner Paris Saint-Germain. England finished third at the World Cup, with Kane scoring six goals and adding one assist.

Kane’s European scoring streak also frames the ceremony. After his goal against Arsenal, he has scored in 10 straight Champions League matches, one short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 11.

Michael Owen was the last English winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2001. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, in 1981, was the last Bayern player to receive the award.

Kane said Bayern still had a match before the ceremony. “Monday could be a special night. We’ll have to wait and see,” he said on Wednesday.

“I’m trying not to think about it too much because we have important games and another one on Sunday.”

Source: AFP report published by Al Jazeera, Oct. 23, 2026.