After his outstanding season last year, Harry Kane has good reason to hope for the Ballon d’Or. The Bayern striker now has the backing of Uli Hoeneß. The honorary president of Germany’s record-holding champions believes the 33-year-old is absolutely deserving of the award.
In an interview with the Abendzeitung München, Hoeneß made it clear who he would give the prestigious award to: “He would be extremely deserving of the Ballon d’Or—and I also hope he gets it. I think giving it to Messi for the fifth time is nonsense.”
The club boss also couldn’t resist taking a little dig at Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé: “He’s had an outstanding season across all competitions and, unlike Mbappé, for example, has won two titles.”
Hoeneß makes no secret of the fact that, for him, it’s the combination of individual performance and team success that particularly speaks in Kane’s favor.
The Englishman had an exceptional season and won the double with FC Bayern. At the same time, he was one of Munich’s most reliable goal scorers throughout the entire season.
Hoeneß sees titles as a point in Kane’s favor
For Hoeneß, the titles won appear to be a decisive factor. By referring to Mbappé, the 74-year-old makes it clear that, in his view, individual statistics alone should not be the sole basis for evaluation.
Kane himself had recently been much more cautious in assessing his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or. The Bayern star knows that once voting closes, he no longer has any influence over the decision. “From an individual standpoint, the Ballon d’Or is the greatest thing you can achieve,” Kane said recently, adding: “But it’s not in my hands. I’ve done what I could in terms of performance. Of course, it would be fantastic if it worked out.”
While Kane himself refrains from promoting himself, others at FC Bayern are taking on that role. CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen also recently spoke out publicly in support of the forward, highlighting his performances and leadership qualities.
Decision to be made in October
Kane isn’t the only Bayern player nominated for this year’s award. Michael Olise, Luis Díaz, and Dayot Upamecano are also among the candidates.
The competition is star-studded. Alongside Kane, the list of candidates includes Mbappé and Lionel Messi, among others. The Ballon d’Or decision will be announced in late October.
For Hoeneß, at any rate, it’s clear that Kane has put himself in an excellent position with his performances. In particular, his successful run with FC Bayern is a strong argument in the Englishman’s favor.
Whether the international voters share this assessment will become clear at the awards ceremony. Until then, Kane himself is likely to stay true to his usual approach and make his case primarily on the field.