In Munich, where Bayern’s season has been shaped by Harry Kane’s extraordinary output, the England captain has admitted that the final wait for the Ballon d’Or may be harder on those around him than on the player himself. The ceremony is due to take place in London on Monday 26 October, with Kane among the leading contenders alongside Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
Kane spoke after Bayern’s Champions League draw with Arsenal, telling travelling English reporters that the uncertainty surrounding the award has created tension at home. His wife, he said, would rather know the result before the ceremony, as would other members of his family.
“My wife would probably prefer to know, and so would my family,” Kane said. “It is very stressful for everyone.”
The forward understood why the organisers keep the outcome private until the gala, noting that suspense encourages the candidates to attend and increases interest in the event. Yet he would personally prefer not to spend the evening waiting for the announcement. “From my point of view, I would like to know rather than wait the whole night,” he said. “We have to enjoy it and not get too stressed.”
A season that carried Kane into the conversation
Kane’s place among the favourites follows a prolific campaign in Bavaria. He won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 Bundesliga goals for Bayern, while his complete season brought 61 goals and seven assists.
For a player who arrived in Germany seeking the kind of continental stage that can define a career, the London ceremony offers the possibility of joining a short English list. Should Kane take the prize, he would become the fifth Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or.
- Stanley Matthews — 1956
- Bobby Charlton — 1966
- Kevin Keegan — 1978 and 1979
- Michael Owen — 2001
Whether the award follows Kane to London or goes to Mbappé or Yamal, Bayern’s striker will arrive with a season of figures that has placed him firmly among the game’s defining performers. For his family, though, the appeal of Monday may lie less in the ceremony than in finally ending the wait.
