“A brilliant captain, a remarkable player”: Thomas Tuchel, Prince William congratulate Harry Kane on Ballon d’Or win

London [UK], October 27 (ANI): England head coach Thomas Tuchel and Prince William congratulated Three Lions captain Harry Kane on winning the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, praising his performances, leadership and contribution to football.
Kane became the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001, overcoming competition from Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to claim the prestigious individual football award.
Tuchel congratulated Kane on the “deserved” award, praising his performances and leadership while highlighting the significance of becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to win the honour.
“Congratulations Harry on a deserved Ballon D’Or! I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago, but I’m delighted to see that you have now been formally recognised by the football world. To become the first Englishman to win this huge honour in 25 years makes it extra special and we are lucky to have you as our leader. I know you will enjoy this moment with your loved ones and then get back to doing what you do best – scoring goals and winning football matches,” said Three Lions head coach Thomas Tuchel in a statement by England Football.
Meanwhile, Prince William also congratulated Kane on his Ballon d’Or win, praising him as a remarkable player and captain who has given football fans worldwide many unforgettable moments.
“Huge congratulations to Harry Kane on winning the Ballon d'Or! What a fantastic achievement and so deserved. A brilliant captain, a remarkable player and someone who has given football fans across the world so many unforgettable moments," the Prince of Wales wrote on Instagram.
Kane enjoyed a prolific campaign, scoring 73 goals and providing eight assists, contributing to 81 goal involvements across the season. He also helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup. It is the first Ballon d'Or for a player who has been considered among the world's best for several years.
The award marks another milestone in Kane's career, with the England captain having established himself among the leading strikers in European football before joining Bayern Munich, where he has gone on to win major trophies.
The prestigious title comes after Kane dominated the Bundesliga, scoring 36 goals in 31 matches to help Bayern Munich to the 2025-26 German league title. Bayern fell in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League to eventual winner Paris Saint-Germain, but Kane also had 14 goals in 13 matches - including at least one goal in both legs of the quarterfinals against Real Madrid and the semifinals against PSG.
His goalscoring performances proved instrumental in Bayern's successful campaign, earning him one of football's most prestigious individual honours at the ceremony held in London.
The England captain also scored six goals and chipped in an assist for England as the Three Lions earned a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup. (ANI)