Harry Kane scores '61 goals' but still no Ballon d'Or? "Guilty"... German legend strongly supports him, saying he is better than Messi and Mbappé

*This content was translated by AI.

Harry Kane (33, Bayern Munich) is emerging as the leading contender for this year's Ballon d'Or.

German outlet Sport1 reported on the 18th (Korean time) that German football legend Lothar Matthäus strongly backed Kane as the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner.

According to the report, Matthäus evaluated in a "Sky Sports" column that Kane is most deserving of receiving the Ballon d'Or. Last season, Kane appeared in 51 matches and scored 61 goals, leading Munich to a Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double. On the 19th, he will also receive the Golden Boot, awarded to Europe's top scorer.

Matthäus stated, "The only flaw is that Kane did not reach the 2026 North American World Cup final or the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final," adding, "Apart from that, he delivered overwhelming performances throughout the season without a single slump." In fact, Kane was eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UCL semi-finals and blocked by Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals, failing to reach the finals.

Matthäus also highlighted weaknesses among competitors. He pointed out that Lionel Messi did not face top-level competition while playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS). Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé were criticized for lacking championship trophies. Regarding Spain, the World Cup champions, Matthäus drew a line by saying, "No player dominated everyone. Not even Lamine Yamal."

However, despite having the best season of his career, Kane remained cautious. When asked about his chances of winning the award, he held back, saying, "It would be fantastic if I won the Ballon d'Or, but there are still two or three months left until the final decision."

Kane has completely shed the long-standing "curse of no trophies" that plagued him during his years at Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League (EPL). After lifting his first league title for two consecutive seasons, global football fans are now watching closely to see if he can also claim the Ballon d'Or, the highest honor in European football.

The media reported that "the key issue is whether the voters' preferences will lean more toward overwhelming individual records or international tournament achievements."

Meanwhile, this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held on October 26 in London, UK.

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*This content was translated by AI.