Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has said he would trade his Ballon d'Or trophy for a Champions League winners' medal. At a press conference ahead of Bayern's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital, the 33-year-old Kane emphasised that team trophies are the reason he plays football.
Kane became the first Englishman since 2001 to win the Ballon d'Or, a celebration held at a ceremony in London. He became only the fifth Englishman to win the award, joining Michael Owen, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan on the elite list. In the competition, he beat Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona striker Lamine Yamal.
"Winning the Ballon d'Or last week was one of the best feelings I have had in my life and career," Kane said. "But having moments with the team, celebrations with the club – being able to lift the Champions League with Bayern would be an incredible feeling." Asked if he would choose between lifting the European Cup and the Ballon d'Or, he added: "I would choose the Champions League, but I have the chance to do both – let's see what happens."
Kane described the past week as a "rollercoaster of celebrations". "It was a huge rise for me, but also for the club. It was one of the best feelings I have ever had in my life, without a doubt," he stated. "But we had some falls and many extremes that we had to deal with. It brought us closer together and we fight for every moment." Last season, he scored 73 goals for club and country and helped Bayern win the domestic treble. The Bavarian club had not had a Ballon d'Or winner since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who won the award in 1981, and Bayern and their fans paid tribute to Kane before Saturday's Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund.
Speaking about a new contract with Bayern, Kane said there had been "good talks" in recent days and that he was "extremely close" to putting pen to paper. "Much bigger things have been resolved and we are satisfied," he said. "But in every contract there are many small things that go into it, small details that lawyers ultimately have to resolve and understand." He added: "Overall, I would say it is a matter of days rather than weeks. From what I have heard, the talks went well again today. I hope we will be in a position to do something in the next few days." Kane joined Bayern from Tottenham for £86.4m (€100m) in August 2023.
Bayern's preparations were overshadowed by the absence of head coach Vincent Kompany, the Belgian who was taken to hospital after collapsing during a training session involving Bayern's reserve team on 23 October. He was discharged from hospital five days later and is continuing his recovery, but a final return date has not been set. Assistant Aaron Danks oversaw first-team duties in his absence. Kane acknowledged the difficulty of being without his manager, but insisted the team is coping well. "We miss our coach, but everyone has the chance to prove themselves and we have a long way to go," he said.
