Harry Kane crowned Ballon d’Or winner but still taking it all in

Harry Kane said he was still struggling to take in what had happened, just hours after the Ballon d’Or ceremony. Crowned in London, the England forward and Bayern Munich player described the honour as the high point of his career so far, as well as a significant moment for his club and German football.

After the ceremony, Kane drew attention outside the Palladium, where he lifted the trophy amid camera flashes and cheers. The scene took place only a few miles from Walthamstow, the neighbourhood where he began his career. It gave a visible form to a triumph that the player had yet to fully absorb. The following morning, he put his feelings into words: « It really feels like a dream, and I’m still trying to take in everything that has happened. »

At 33, Kane also received tributes from many quarters. William and Kate called him an « exceptional player ». The British press, meanwhile, cast the award as recognition for a professional who worked to develop his talent and reap the rewards of his efforts.

After the celebration, Kane spent time with friends and family at a nightclub in London before returning to Munich on Tuesday to resume his duties with Bayern. He was due to meet supporters at Wednesday’s German Cup match against Magdeburg, then at Saturday’s German classic against Borussia Dortmund. Bayern intends to celebrate its player in front of its home crowd at the latter match.

For the club, the award also ends a long wait: 45 years after Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s triumph, another Bayern Munich player has reached the pinnacle of the Ballon d’Or. Rummenigge said Kane’s success shows that the route to the honour still runs through Bayern and the German league. Max Eberl described the club as a « platform for world-class players ».

The honour came in a year marked by the World Cup, while Bayern did not win the Champions League. The account of the award also presents it as evidence of the club’s ability to put forward a player competing for football’s leading individual honours, even without that European title.