Harry Kane produced the most prolific season of his career, won three trophies with Bayern Munich and scored six goals at the World Cup.
For Emmanuel Petit, however, the numbers are not enough.
The former France, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder believes Kane is no longer a serious contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, arguing that the England captain did not have enough influence when the pressure was at its highest.
According to Goal’s report on Petit’s comments, the 1998 World Cup winner delivered his assessment during an interview with Mr Gamble, rather than with Mirror as initially reported.
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Petit says Kane disappeared when it mattered
“Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or chances are over,” Petit said.
He acknowledged Kane’s extraordinary scoring record in Germany, but argued that domestic performances alone should not decide the award.
“When it started to be really hard to win, I think he disappeared,” Petit added, referring to Bayern’s Champions League campaign and England’s World Cup run.
Petit’s argument is based less on Kane’s overall production and more on the fact that Bayern and England both fell short of their principal targets.
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Bayern were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals, losing 6-5 on aggregate, while England surrendered a late lead against Argentina in the World Cup semifinals.
Kane did not score or provide an assist in England’s 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Norway or the 2-1 semifinal defeat to Argentina. Jude Bellingham scored both goals against Norway, while Anthony Gordon was England’s scorer against Argentina. FIFA’s official match reports confirm that Kane did not contribute directly to any of those three goals.
The Champions League criticism requires context
While Kane was unable to take Bayern into the Champions League final, the suggestion that he disappeared entirely in the semifinal requires some qualification.
The striker scored from the penalty spot and created Luis Díaz’s goal during Bayern’s 5-4 first leg defeat in Paris. He then scored a late equalizer in the return match, which ended 1-1.
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That gave Kane two goals and one assist across the two legs, although Bayern were still eliminated.
UEFA’s report from the first leg documented Kane’s penalty and his pass in the build-up to Díaz’s goal, while its report from the return match recorded his 94th-minute equalizer.
Petit’s criticism therefore appears to concern the final outcome and Kane’s wider authority in major matches, rather than a complete absence of goals or assists.
Kane’s numbers were almost unprecedented
Kane finished the club season with 61 goals and seven assists in 51 appearances for Bayern.
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He scored 36 Bundesliga goals, 14 in the Champions League, 10 in the DFB-Pokal and one in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. Bayern won all three domestic competitions, while Kane also collected the European Golden Shoe.
When his England matches are included, Kane’s full seasonal record stands at 73 goals and eight assists in 65 appearances.
Those figures are confirmed by the Bundesliga’s statistical review of Kane’s season, which described it as the greatest goalscoring campaign of his career.
At the World Cup, Kane scored six goals and provided one assist in seven appearances. England eventually secured third place by defeating France 6-4 in the bronze medal match, their best World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966.
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Kane did not score in England’s final two matches of the competition, but his six goals still left him among the tournament’s leading scorers.
Petit points towards Spain’s World Cup winners
Petit stopped short of naming one clear favorite for the Ballon d’Or, but highlighted Lamine Yamal and Rodri following Spain’s victory over Argentina in the final.
He praised Yamal’s World Cup performances and described Rodri as the tournament’s best player. He also acknowledged Lionel Messi’s campaign, although he appeared to question whether playing club football for Inter Miami would weaken the Argentine’s position.
Spain’s World Cup triumph could carry considerable weight when the votes are cast. Rodri won the tournament’s Golden Ball, while Yamal combined international success with another strong domestic campaign for Barcelona.
Petit also warned that commercial considerations should not determine the winner, insisting that performances and trophies must remain the decisive factors.
Kane’s challenge is weakened, not officially over
Petit’s conclusion is uncompromising, but it remains a personal assessment rather than an official verdict.
Kane’s failure to win either the Champions League or the World Cup has undoubtedly weakened his position, particularly in a year when Spain’s leading players combined individual excellence with the sport’s biggest international prize.
Yet a return of 73 goals, three club trophies and six World Cup goals ensures that his season cannot simply be dismissed.
The central question for Ballon d’Or voters will be whether Kane’s exceptional consistency can outweigh the defining trophies he did not win.
Petit has already reached his conclusion. The voters may not be quite as certain.
