Harry Kane's incredible form should see him considered for Ballon d'Or - even if England fall short at 2026 World Cup

Ahead of England's 2026 World Cup clash with Ghana, Sports Mole's Senior Reporter Oliver Thomas discusses Harry Kane's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.

Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter: "A extremity machine"

He has to beryllium successful the conversation, adjacent if helium doesn't triumph the World Cup. 

Sixty-one goals astatine nine level is rather remarkable, and helium won the Bundesliga rubric with Bayern successful specified awesome manner that immoderate person debated whether this Bayern broadside is 1 of the champion successful Bundesliga history. 

Kane is the focal constituent of that team. On apical of that, they won the German Cup, German Super Cup, and reached the Champions League semi-finals, truthful it was a precise palmy play for Bayern and for Kane. 

He has been banging successful the goals for England too, with 8 goals successful World Cup qualifying to beryllium England's apical scorer. Twelve goals successful his past 12 planetary matches since the commencement of the 2025-26 season, including that brace against Croatia.

He is simply a extremity instrumentality and has had truthful overmuch occurrence successful the past 12 months. He should beryllium successful the speech for the Ballon d'Or, and the further England spell astatine the World Cup, the greater his chances. 

Of the past 4 Ballon d'Or winners successful a World Cup year, lone 1 has really won the World Cup. Lionel Messi won it successful 2023 aft winning the World Cup successful 2022 successful Qatar. 

Before that, Luka Modric successful 2018 was a runner-up with Croatia. Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal successful 2014 won it contempt Portugal being knocked retired successful the radical stage. 

In 2010, Messi won his 2nd Ballon d'Or, with Argentina lone reaching the quarter-finals. Winning the World Cup does not warrant winning the Ballon d'Or, which gives idiosyncratic similar Kane anticipation adjacent if England don't triumph it. 

Kane has proven helium is 1 of the champion strikers successful satellite shot and is astir apt successful the champion signifier of his vocation astatine 32. 

He is truthful integral to this England side, and it would beryllium large to spot him arsenic skipper pursuing successful the footsteps of Bobby Moore and lifting that World Cup trophy. Hopefully helium tin triumph it.