Bayern Munich and England captain Harry Kane says winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or would be a “massive success” as he emerges as the favourite for the award.
The winner will be announced in London on October 26th, with one month remaining before the ceremony.
Kane has strengthened his claims with a prolific campaign for club and country. Earlier this month, he became the fastest player to reach 100 Bundesliga goals.
The striker scored 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga appearances, added 14 in 13 Champions League matches and found the net 12 times for England, including six goals at the World Cup.
Kane also won the European Golden Shoe, Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Franz Beckenbauer Supercup – achievements which have significantly enhanced his prospects of becoming the best player in the world.
However, the 32-year-old said he was concentrating on continuing his form rather than focusing on the individual award.
“The Ballon d’Or would be a massive success for me, but at the moment I’m concentrating on performing again this season,” he said.
Kane welcomed the decision to hold the ceremony in the English capital and highlighted the significance of potentially ending a long wait for an English winner.
“It’s obviously special for me that the ceremony is taking place in London,” he added.
“An English player hasn’t won it for over 20 years, even though there have been a lot of great English players in that time.”
Michael Owen remains the last English player to win the Ballon d’Or, claiming the award in 2001 while playing for Liverpool.
Victory for Kane in London would make him the first player to win the prize for 25 years.