Harry Kane is currently going through an unusual phase at FC Bayern. Following his Ballon d’Or triumph, the Englishman has lacked his usual clinical finishing in front of the opponent’s goal. While Sky experts debate the reasons behind his recent scoring slump, Bayern Munich has sent a clear message by officially extending his contract through 2029.
Just a few weeks ago, Kane seemed to score almost at will. The Bayern striker was in outstanding form and capped off his performances by winning the Ballon d’Or. Since the award ceremony, however, things haven’t been going quite as smoothly for the 33-year-old.
Kane also failed to score in the 2-0 win over Atlético Madrid. In the 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga’s top match, he hit the crossbar on a penalty kick, among other missed opportunities. On the Sky podcast “Mia san vier,” experts discussed the Bayern star’s uncharacteristic lack of finishing.
Hoffmann suspects additional pressure following the Ballon d’Or win
“I think it’s also had an effect on him that he’s now the world’s best soccer player, that he won the award,” explained Torben Hoffmann. The former Bundesliga pro can imagine that Kane is setting particularly high expectations for himself following his award.
At the same time, Hoffmann cautioned against overinterpreting the current situation. After all, even a world-class striker isn’t immune to going several games without scoring.
The Sky expert takes a particularly critical view of the discussions about Kane’s playing style. Time and again, the Englishman is accused of spending too much time outside the penalty area. For Hoffmann, this criticism misses the mark.
It is precisely his ability to drop deep and participate in build-up play that has made Kane so valuable to Bayern in the past. Even a brief stretch with fewer goals doesn’t change that.
“It’s also an incredible burden.”
Sky reporter Kerry Hau also sees no cause for concern. The journalist pointed to the extraordinary pressure Kane had to cope with surrounding the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
After the celebrations in London, the Englishman returned to Munich, completed just one training session, and shortly thereafter faced important matches against Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid. “It’s also an incredible strain—physically at first, but then, of course, mentally as well,” Hau emphasized.
In his view, Kane has simply lacked that little bit of luck in front of the net lately. Winning the award hasn’t changed anything about the striker’s quality or attitude.
Hoffmann also pointed out the numerous engagements, interviews, and congratulations that had come pouring in for Kane following his Ballon d’Or triumph. It’s virtually impossible to completely detach oneself from all of that.
For the Sky expert, it’s therefore clear that the current goal drought doesn’t have to be a long-term problem. “I’m sure he’ll start scoring again soon,” Hoffmann explained.
Bayern is committed to Kane for the long term: Contract extended through 2029
Regardless of his current scoring slump, Bayern has now made one of its most important personnel decisions. The German record champions officially confirmed on Thursday that Kane has extended his contract—which was originally set to run through 2027—early, through June 30, 2029.
With this move, the Munich club has secured the long-term future of its top scorer. Since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023, Kane has scored an impressive 156 goals in 161 competitive matches.
For Kane, having his future settled for the long term should provide additional peace of mind. After the intense weeks surrounding his Ballon d’Or triumph and contract negotiations, the 33-year-old can now once again focus entirely on his on-field duties.
After all, even without scoring himself, Kane remains a key factor in Bayern’s play. Against Atlético, he set up Konrad Laimer ’s goal with a spectacular shift of play.
His importance to the Munich team thus continues to extend far beyond simply scoring goals. And with the contract extension through 2029, Bayern has made it clear that it will continue to rely on the exceptional qualities of its World Player of the Year in the years to come.