I’ll trade Ballon d’Or for Champions League — Kane

Photo: Ballon d'or ‎Bayern Munich striker, Harry Kane, has said he would prefer winning the UEFA Champions League with the German club to his recently won Ballon d’Or award. ‎ ‎The England captain made this known on Monday during a press conference ahead of Bayern’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. ‎ ‎According to Spanish newspaper Marca on Monday, Kane, asked whether he would exchange the individual award for the Champions League trophy, said “Yes, I would choose the Champions League.” ‎ ‎Kane, who was named the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner last week, said winning the European club competition would give him a special feeling because of the opportunity to celebrate the achievement with his teammates. ‎ ‎“Last week’s Ballon d’Or was one of the best feelings I’ve had in my life, in my career.

It was a really special award and a special night for me. ‎ ‎“But having moments with the team, having celebrations with the team, with the club, being able to lift the Champions League with Bayern would be simply an incredible feeling,” he said. ‎ ‎He, however, expressed hope of winning both honours, adding that he was in a position to achieve the two ambitions with Bayern. ‎ ‎Kane’s comments come after years of pursuing major team honours, having spent most of his career at Tottenham Hotspur without winning a major club trophy. ‎ ‎The striker joined Bayern in August 2023 after 19 years at Tottenham, where he became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with 280 goals in 435 appearances. ‎ ‎He reached the Champions League final with Tottenham in 2019 but lost 2-0 to Liverpool, missing out on his first opportunity to win the competition. ‎ ‎Although he has since won domestic honours with Bayern, including the Bundesliga and German Cup, the Champions League remains missing from his collection. ‎ ‎His 2026 Ballon d’Or triumph followed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign in which he scored 73 goals for Bayern and England, helping the German club win the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup. ‎ ‎He became the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001, finishing ahead of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. ‎ ‎Bayern’s visit to Atletico Madrid offers Kane another opportunity to pursue his Champions League ambition, with the final scheduled to take place at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 5, 2027.

Photo: Ballon d'or ‎Bayern Munich striker, Harry Kane, has said he would prefer winning the UEFA Champions League with the German club to his recently won Ballon d’Or award. ‎ ‎The England captain made this known on Monday during a press conference ahead of Bayern’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. ‎ ‎According to Spanish newspaper Marca on Monday, Kane, asked whether he would exchange the individual award for the Champions League trophy, said “Yes, I would choose the Champions League.” ‎ ‎Kane, who was named the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner last week, said winning the European club competition would give him a special feeling because of the opportunity to celebrate the achievement with his teammates. ‎ ‎“Last week’s Ballon d’Or was one of the best feelings I’ve had in my life, in my career.