Harry Kane’s unstoppable rise: Could the Ballon d’Or finally be within reach?

After years of near-misses and personal heartbreak, Harry Kane’s long wait for silverware ended last season when Bayern Munich reclaimed the Bundesliga crown. Now, the England captain has turned his gaze toward football’s most coveted individual honor — the Ballon d’Or.

At 32, Kane appears to be playing the best football of his career. In Bayern’s 4–0 demolition of Club Brugge in the Champions League, the prolific striker notched his 20th goal in just 12 matches across all competitions this season. Few forwards in Europe can match his blistering pace in front of goal — or his consistency.

His ranking of 13th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or vote, eventually won by PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé, already feels outdated. Since that Paris ceremony, Kane’s scoring run has hit historic levels. In September, he became the fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for a club in Europe’s top five leagues — needing only 104 appearances — and has now tallied 105 in 108. Neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo matched such early-season efficiency: both required at least 13 matches to hit 20 goals in a campaign, while Kane has averaged one every 54 minutes.

The numbers are staggering. He has 12 goals in seven Bundesliga games and is on course for 58 this term, threatening Robert Lewandowski’s all-time league record of 41. In Europe, his Champions League output is equally devastating: 24 goals and six assists since his Bayern debut in 2023 — more goal involvements than any other player over that span. Only Ruud van Nistelrooy has scored more in his first 60 appearances in the competition.

Yet Kane’s case for the Ballon d’Or goes beyond his scoring exploits. His creative vision and relentless work rate have redefined the modern centre-forward role. “Kane has reinvented what it means to lead the line,” wrote German legend Lothar Matthäus, himself a former Ballon d’Or winner. “He’s a scorer, playmaker, and box-to-box competitor rolled into one.”

Team-mates echo that sentiment. Former Bayern winger Kingsley Coman said, “Harry makes you better — he loves a perfect pass as much as a perfect finish.”

Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Thomas Tuchel in 2024, has granted Kane near-total freedom in attack following Jamal Musiala’s injury. The result has been a more fluid and devastating Bayern side. “He’s playing three or four roles at once,” noted Bundesliga analyst Raphael Honigstein.

Kane’s rivals are formidable: Erling Haaland has struck 24 times in 14 games, Kylian Mbappé 18 in as many for Real Madrid and France. But while their numbers impress, Matthäus insists Kane’s all-round contribution sets him apart: “You won’t see Haaland or Mbappé tracking back into their own box in the 88th minute. Kane does.”

History, however, suggests the Ballon d’Or tends to favor players who win major trophies. Since Michael Owen lifted it in 2001, no Englishman has done so. For Kane to join Owen, Charlton, Matthews, and Keegan in that elite group, Bayern likely need to conquer Europe — and England must shine at the 2026 World Cup.

“If I keep doing what I’m doing and we have a successful season with club and country,” Kane said recently, “then maybe it’s possible. That would be the perfect season.”

With Bayern unbeaten in Europe and England already qualified for North America 2026, the stars may finally be aligning for Kane’s golden moment.

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