Harry Kane admits Ballon d’Or wait is ‘hard not to think about’

Harry Kane says he is trying not to think about the Ballon d’Or, despite being the bookmakers’ favourite to win the prestigious award after helping Bayern Munich to a 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw on Wednesday.

The winner of the 2026 prize will be announced at a ceremony next Monday evening, although Kane says he knows no more than anyone else about who will claim the trophy.

“I'd love to know (in advance who wins) to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night,” he said on Wednesday.

“But it is their decision, I can't control that. We'll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much.

“I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours flying around and you try to stay away from it.”

The Ballon d’Or is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in world football. It has been presented by football journalists on behalf of French publication France Football since 1956.

Monday’s ceremony will crown the 70th winner, with the award having been presented every year apart from 2020, when it was cancelled because of Covid.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the current holder, while Argentina’s Lionel Messi has won the trophy a record eight times. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed it on five occasions.

Kane is ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal in the bookmakers’ predictions for the 2026 award. Michael Owen, who won in 2001, is the most recent of the four English players to have received the honour.

Yamal has said he “deserves” the prize after scoring 34 goals and providing 28 assists for Barcelona since the beginning of last season. He also scored four times in four wins for Spain during the recent UEFA Nations League window.

Those performances briefly saw Yamal draw level with Kane in the betting. However, the England captain moved back in front after scoring six Nations League goals and adding four more for Bayern Munich.

Since the start of last season, Kane has recorded 71 goals and 14 assists for Bayern Munich, as well as 18 goals and three assists for England.

The 33-year-old has not publicly backed a particular candidate but said he “would be really happy to receive such an award” after what he described as “a great year”.

He acknowledged that the approaching announcement had made it difficult to concentrate entirely on football.

“They want everyone to go, all the big names there and there will be more people watching it if they don't know, so I can understand why,” Kane said.

Organisers first attempted to keep the result completely secret in 2024. Real Madrid boycotted that ceremony after learning through a leak that Vinicius Junior had been beaten by Rodri in the voting.

The Ballon d’Or gala will be held at the London Palladium Theatre from 8pm to 10pm BST on Monday. Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are also outsiders in what is otherwise widely viewed as a contest between Kane and Yamal.