Harry Kane Hopes to Learn Ballon d'Or Winner Early as Bayern Forward Keeps Calm Before Ceremony
Harry Kane, the striker for Bayern Munich, has admitted he wishes he could find out the Ballon d'Or winner before the official ceremony in London on Monday night. Despite leading the bookmakers' odds, the England captain remains unaware if he has secured the coveted award.
Looking Forward to the Prestigious Award
Kane is trying to stay relaxed ahead of the 20:00 UK time event, though he would prefer an early reveal of the results. The 33-year-old is poised to become the first English player since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the honor, following an impressive season with 61 goals in 51 club matches and a deep run into the World Cup semi-finals. The shortlist also includes Barcelona's young talent Lamine Yamal and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi.
Extending His European Scoring Run
On Wednesday, Kane showcased his form by assisting Alphonso Davies and scoring a penalty in a 2-2 Champions League draw against Arsenal. This brought his tally to 10 goals in 11 appearances this season. By scoring in his 10th consecutive European match, he trails only Cristiano Ronaldo’s tournament record by one game.
"They want everyone to go, all the big names there and there will be more people watching it if they don’t know, so I can understand why. From my point of view, of course, I’d love to know to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night. But it is their decision, I can’t control that. We’ll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much," Kane said after the match.
Ignoring the Rumors and Staying Focused
France Football, the award organizers, changed their policy in 2024 to keep winners secret until the ceremony. Despite this, a leak caused a boycott by Real Madrid that year after Vinicius Junior lost to Rodri.
"I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours flying around and you try to stay away from it. We have important games today and I know we have another important one on Sunday before the event on Monday so that’s where my focus is. Of course I am going to try and enjoy Monday night as much as possible. It is a big occasion so we will have to wait and see," Kane added.
Upcoming Matches Ahead of the Awards
Before attending the awards in London, Kane must help Bayern Munich defend their Bundesliga lead against third-placed Freiburg on Sunday. The German champions are eager to improve after a shaky start in the Champions League, with one win and two draws placing them 14th in their group.
- Next matches:
- Arsenal (ARS) vs Premier League: 24 Oct 2026, 17:00
- Freiburg (SCF) vs Bundesliga: 25 Oct 2026, 18:30
