Harry Kane’s public pitch for the 2026 Ballon d’Or fits into a single sentence.
“I don’t like talking about myself, the 73 goals speak for themselves,” the England captain told Spanish daily Marca in an interview published on Friday, his sharpest public comment yet on an award no English player has won since Michael Owen in 2001.
That total, gathered across a domestic double with Bayern Munich and England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, puts Kane in company only Lionel Messi has ever surpassed at club level, the Argentine’s 73 goals in 60 games for Barcelona in 2011-12, and his 91 goals across the 2012 calendar year, remain the benchmarks in the modern game.
Kane’s return broke down to 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern and six at the World Cup for an England side beaten 2-1 in the last four by Argentina on 15 July in Atlanta. Bayern won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, and were only pushed out of the Champions League by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Read also: Rune returns against Radulov as Denmark host Bulgaria in Davis Cup
The best season of his career
Kane’s assessment of the 12 months behind him was more expansive than his assessment of the vote to come.
“I’ve never liked talking too much about myself. The only thing I’d say is that last season was incredible, both personally and for the team. It was, by far, the best season of my life,” he told Marca.
He was less inclined to project forward.
“I’m extremely proud of that, but the Ballon d’Or isn’t in my hands. It depends on the people who vote.”
Read also: Kane cracks the door open to a new challenge: 'I never rule anything out'
“As far as I’m concerned, last season is in the past. Now I’m focused on this one and I’m looking forward to seeing what else I can achieve.”
Kane on a 30-man shortlist with Mbappé and Yamal
The Bayern striker is one of 30 men named on the shortlist by France Football and UEFA on 8 September. Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Rodri are among the other candidates.
An earlier round of interviews on the same subject had drawn a similarly guarded answer from Kane. “The Ballon d’Or is not in my hands,” he said in August. “We’ll see what happens. Obviously, it’d be amazing if it was to happen.”
The ceremony leaves Paris for the first time
The 70th edition of the award leaves Paris for the first time in its history. France Football and UEFA confirmed in May that the ceremony will be staged at the London Palladium on Monday 26 October, a nod to Sir Stanley Matthews, the Englishman who won the very first Ballon d’Or in 1956.
Read also: Ronaldo stays in Jorge Jesus's plans, but reports point to a Portugal farewell in six days
Read also: Amorim after first Milan defeat: "I feel the same pressure here as at Manchester United"
