Harry Kane is getting better with age

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Harry Kane’s best chance yet to claim football’s biggest individual honour

Earlier this year, Harry Kane finally ended his long wait for silverware in the 15th season of his professional career, as Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions. 

Author | Peter Grainger

Champions League | Bayern Munich v Club Brugge | Pics from the crowd

The long-awaited triumph paved the way for the England striker to target even greater prizes for club, country and himself.

Ballon d’Or ambitions reignited

Despite being in the finest form of his career, Kane ranked only 13th at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards in September and has never finished higher than 10th in the prestigious vote. Yet since Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the world’s best player in Paris last month, Kane appears to have reached another level entirely.

Now 32, he took his tally for the season to 20 goals in just 12 appearances across all competitions as Bayern swept aside Club Brugge 4-0 in the Champions League. Kane knows that if he maintains this relentless scoring run, helps Bayern lift Europe’s most coveted trophy, and leads England to glory at next summer’s World Cup, he will be a strong contender for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

A record-breaking run in Germany

In September, Kane became the fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for a club in one of Europe’s top five leagues, achieving the feat in just 104 games. He has since taken his tally to 105 in 108 appearances, with no other player across Europe’s elite divisions matching his output since the start of the 2023-24 season.

Neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo reached 20 goals in a campaign as quickly, needing 17 and 13 matches respectively, while Kane is currently averaging a goal every 54 minutes. Having already scored 12 times in seven Bundesliga matches this term, he is on course to finish the season with 58 league goals. To surpass Robert Lewandowski’s record of 41 in a single Bundesliga campaign, he needs another 30 from the remaining 27 fixtures.

Dominating the Champions League too

It is a similar story in Europe. Since making his Bayern debut in the Champions League in September 2023, Kane has scored 24 goals and contributed six assists, more direct goal involvements than any other player during that period. Only Ruud van Nistelrooy, with 48 in his first 60 appearances, has scored more goals at this stage of his Champions League career.

A defining season

With his numbers climbing to extraordinary levels, Kane is entering what could be the defining season of his career. If he continues in this vein and collects the trophies that have long eluded him, the football world may finally have to acknowledge him as the game’s most complete and consistent striker.

Location: Munich, Germany

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