Harry Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England between August 2025 and July 2026, took three trophies in Germany, and still cannot count on the Ballon d’Or.
The reason is a single evening in East Rutherford. Lamine Yamal lifted the World Cup with Spain on 19 July after Ferran Torres broke the deadlock in the 106th minute against Argentina, a 1-0 win in extra time. Kane’s England went out in the semi-finals.
Kane’s 73 goals came without a World Cup final
Kane’s Bayern season, per the Bundesliga’s own count, ran to 51 appearances, 61 goals and seven assists across four competitions. Add England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals and the eligibility window total climbs to 73.
The trophies followed. Bayern retained the Bundesliga, lifted the DFB-Pokal after a six-year drought and took the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. Kane also became the first player in Bundesliga history to win the top-scorer award in each of his first three seasons in the German top flight.
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Yamal has the medal Kane could not get
Yamal’s ledger reads differently: 26 goals and 21 assists for Barcelona, a La Liga and Supercopa double, and then the World Cup itself. He scored once at the tournament, but Spain won it, and no player under 21 has ever taken the Ballon d’Or.
His teammates split much of the rest of the individual haul. Unai Simón took the Golden Glove after conceding one goal in the entire tournament, and Pau Cubarsí was named the World Cup’s Best Young Player.
Rodri, Mbappé and the defending champion
Kylian Mbappé took the Golden Boot with 10 goals, the second of his career, but France went out in the semi-finals, beaten 2-0 by Spain, and Real Madrid finished the season without a major trophy.
Rodri took the tournament’s individual prize. FIFA named the Spain captain the Golden Ball winner ahead of Lionel Messi and Mbappé, and Opta counted 122 line-breaking passes across his eight matches, the most any player has produced at a World Cup since Xabi Alonso’s 126 in 2010. Manchester City added the FA Cup and Carabao Cup to his season.
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Ousmane Dembélé is not done either. Injury wiped out most of PSG’s autumn, but the reigning Ballon d’Or holder scored the equaliser in the Champions League final win over Arsenal on the way to a five-trophy season in Paris.
The bookmakers have caught up with the split. Sky Bet has Kane at 13/8, Yamal at 9/4, Messi at 11/4, Mbappé at 7/2 and Rodri at 9/2, the tightest top of the market in years.
France Football is expected to publish the 30-man shortlist in the coming days. The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony is set for 26 October in London, covering performances between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026.
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