Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich gamble rewarded with Ballon d’Or glory

Harry Kane’s decision to leave Tottenham for Bayern Munich in 2023 has been vindicated after the England captain won the Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in his native London.

Kane, who came through Tottenham’s academy, became the club’s record goalscorer, scoring 280 times before moving to Germany. However, his goals could not end Tottenham’s wait for a major trophy, prompting him to join Bayern in pursuit of silverware despite being close to Alan Shearer’s Premier League goals record.

The transfer was questioned in England and Germany, particularly after Bayern agreed to pay a reported initial fee of €100 million (£80 million) for a 30-year-old. It has since proved highly successful for both player and club.

“Making the move to Bayern Munich was a big step in my career. Some people saw it as a risk, but for me it was always about improving,” Kane told AFP at Monday’s gala.

“Being around the teammates I am, the team, the club, has definitely pushed me on to another level.”

Kane has scored 156 goals in 159 appearances for Bayern, while continuing to contribute as a deep-lying forward and playmaker. He scored in a 10th successive Champions League match during last week’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal and also supplied Alphonso Davies with one of the assists of the season.

He has won two Bundesliga titles and last season’s German Cup, although that remains a modest return for a player whose career has been built on sustained goalscoring and consistency.

“Work hard in silence. Let success be your noise,” Kane wrote on social media after Monday’s ceremony.

Former England defender and pundit Jamie Carragher said Kane would not have won football’s most prestigious individual award had he remained at Tottenham.

“There’s no way Harry Kane could have won the Ballon d’Or if he was playing for Tottenham,” Carragher said.

Bayern’s dominance of German football, including 13 titles in the past 14 seasons, means the Bundesliga is sometimes undervalued outside Germany. But Kane’s move has ensured regular Champions League football at one of the world’s biggest clubs, with Bayern frequently progressing deep into the competition.

The transfer has also benefited England. At Tottenham, Kane’s importance meant he was repeatedly pushed to his limits by the English football calendar, which includes two domestic cup competitions and no winter break.

The Bundesliga has a three-week festive break, contains 18 teams and involves four fewer league matches than the Premier League. Bayern also regularly rest key players later in the season to keep them available for the Champions League.

Kane has captained England at the past five major tournaments, which ended in two final defeats, two semi-final defeats and a quarter-final exit. Now 33, he believes he still has more to achieve internationally, with the Bundesliga schedule potentially helping to extend his career.

“To be winning awards like this just shows why I made the move in the first place,” Kane said.

“There’s always ambition, there’s always dreams for new achievements, new things. I still have a lot to achieve in this game.

“The Champions League at club level and to win a major trophy with England is the number one priority for sure. There are so many great things I want to achieve.”

Bayern have also benefited from their investment, with Kane bringing the Ballon d’Or to Munich for the first time since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge won it in 1981.

“The club and Harry Kane have got together, grown together and achieved the highest aims together. We are proud that this all-round outstanding sportsman and person is part of our FC Bayern family,” said Bayern president Herbert Hainer.