Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is sticking up for Harry Kane. For the Bayern legend, there’s a clear reason why the Englishman must win.
FC Bayern is hoping the next Ballon d’Or winner will come from within its own ranks—and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has a clear favorite. For the former board member, there’s no getting around Harry Kane in the vote on October 26 in London.
“The decisive criterion is individual performance, and Harry Kane has the edge there—his goals and titles speak for themselves,” Rummenigge said in an interview with ran.
The 71-year-old knows firsthand what such a triumph means. Rummenigge won the Ballon d’Or in 1980 and 1981 and remains the last Bayern player to have won the award.
Rummenigge hopes for a historic Bayern victory
“I was, after all, the last Bayern player to win the title, so I’d love to see a Bayern player win it again. That would have a very special significance for us as a club as well,” Rummenigge explained.
Kane makes a strong case. Last season, the Englishman scored 61 goals in 51 competitive matches for FC Bayern. For weeks now, Bayern’s executives have been publicly campaigning for their star striker.
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Rummenigge also emphasized that Bayern has two players on the shortlist: Kane and Michael Olise. “These are world-class players—they don’t grow on trees—and fortunately, they’ve been such key figures for us for some time now,” he said.
Rummenigge is also optimistic about the future of both stars. Kane is expected to extend his contract soon, and Olise could follow suit afterward.
As for the Ballon d’Or, the Bayern boss is adamant: If individual performance, goals, and titles are the deciding factors, he believes Kane is the clear choice.