Reaction as Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or

2

Last night, Harry Kane became the first current Bundesliga player to win the Ballon d’or since 1996, the first Englishman in 25 years, and the first Bayern player since 1981! 

Kane beat Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe to the top individual prize in world football and no one could argue it was rightly deserved. 

Upon receiving the award, the 33-year-old began by saying: “Wow, wow, wow. First of all, I’m almost speechless. First of all, thank you to the Ballon d’Or organisers for putting on this amazing event. It’s fantastic. The fact that it’s being held here in London, of course, makes it even more special for me. It was a good omen for me, so thank you very much. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I’m delighted to be recognised alongside so many excellent players, including some of my teammates and some truly world-class players who are here in the room tonight. So, thank you to everyone who voted for me.”

There were also special mentions to Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany, his current teammates, and of course, his family. 

Managers and Players React 

As Kane and his entourage celebrated, managers and players (both current and old) reacted to Kane’s Ballon d’or win. 

In a recording on a bustling Vancouver street, former Bayern team mate Thomas Müller kept it short and sweet: “You were just fu**ing brilliant! Congrats, see you soon on the golf course and win some championships for my Bayern Munich.”  

England manager, Thomas Tuchel: “Congratulations Harry on a deserved Ballon D’Or. I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago, but I’m delighted to see that you have now been formally recognised by the football world. To become the first Englishman to win this huge honour in 25 years makes it extra special and we are lucky to have you as our leader. I know you will enjoy this moment with your loved ones and then get back to doing what you do best; scoring goals and winning football matches.”

Kylian Mbappe: “Honestly, if I had to choose between Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal winning it ahead of me, I would rather see Harry win it. Not because I have anything against Lamine. He is a fantastic player, and I respect what he has achieved. But Harry represents something I deeply respect about football. He has worked for years, carried enormous expectations and continued to deliver at the highest level. Seeing him lift that trophy made me happy. I was proud of him, genuinely.”

Bayern’s Celebration Plans

Kane will be given a special welcome before Bayern’s DFB Pokal cup match on Wednesday against Magdeburg at the Allianz Arena. 

He will also be honoured again during Bayern’s next Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. 

GGFN | Jamie Allen