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Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane said he would choose a Champions League title over the Ballon d’Or, the BBC reported.
Kane, 33, won the award at a ceremony in London on Oct. 26, finishing ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. He is the fifth English winner, after Michael Owen in 2001, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Bayern’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital, the England captain stressed the importance of team success.
“Team trophies are the reason we play football,” Kane said. “Winning the Ballon d’Or last week was one of the best feelings of my life and career. But the moments with the team, the celebrations with the club and lifting the Champions League trophy with Bayern would be an incredible feeling.”
Asked to choose between the two, Kane said: “I would choose the Champions League, but I have the chance to win both. Let’s see what happens.” He called the Ballon d’Or an important turning point that lifts him to a much higher level, but said players want to play in big finals and share that feeling with teammates.
Bayern and their fans thanked Kane with a special ceremony before Saturday’s Der Klassiker match against Borussia Dortmund. He is the first Bayern player to win the Ballon d’Or since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981.
Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season as Bayern won the Bundesliga, German Cup and Supercup. He said the period since the ceremony has brought ups and downs: “We also went through some difficult times and dealt with many different situations. These brought us closer together and we are fighting for every moment.”
Kane, who is expected to sign a new contract with Bayern, said he is “very close” to agreeing a deal, the BBC reported. He joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur in August 2023 for £86.4 million (€100 million).
“We held good talks in recent days. Most of the work is done and we are happy with the points we agreed on,” Kane said. “But as with every contract, there are many small details to work through. In the final stage, lawyers need to go through them.”
He said the deal should be completed within days rather than weeks.
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