Harry Kane has flatly rejected the suggestion that his first social media post as the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner contained a dig at the two players he beat to the award.
The Instagram caption read “work hard in silence, let success be your noise”, a line fans and reporters quickly connected to Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. The pair finished second and third behind the Bayern Munich striker at the London Palladium ceremony on October 26, according to UEFA.
Speaking at Bayern’s pre-match press conference three days after the gala, Kane told reporters the reading was off.
“No, not at all, this is a quote I’ve loved throughout my whole career.”
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He said the line captured his own approach to hard work, discipline and dedication, and had been a personal reference point for years rather than a message aimed at anyone else.
A 25-year wait, and some requests for watches
Kane became the first English player to lift the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001, Sky Sports reported. He also collected the Gerd Müller Trophy for a second time, having scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025-26 season.
The striker told the same press conference he wanted to mark the achievement with his teammates at both Bayern and England, and that some of them had already made their preferences clear.
“Some of the lads have asked for watches or something like that.”
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Rested for Magdeburg, expected back for Dortmund
Kane did not play on October 28, when a rotated Bayern side still beat FC Magdeburg 6-1 in the DFB-Pokal second round, Bavarian Football Works reported. Interim head coach Aaron Danks, whom Kane referred to as “Danksy”, handed the Englishman a night off.
Danks has been in charge of the senior squad since permanent head coach Vincent Kompany collapsed at training and was discharged from hospital on October 28 following what the club described as a meningeal irritation.
Kane is in line to return for Saturday’s meeting with Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena.
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