Franck Ribéry praises Harry Kane's performance at the Ballon d’Or
In a tweet full of Bavarian solidarity, Franck Ribéry congratulated Harry Kane yesterday for his Ballon d’Or triumph, highlighting the humility and hard work of the English striker of Bayern Munich. The Frenchman, who could not claim the trophy in 2013, was delighted to see a club teammate shine on the world stage.
Ribéry celebrates the Bavarian Ballon d’Or
"Congratulations Harry Kane. Your humility, your hard work and your dedication to the team have finally paid off. Proof that talent, combined with determination and team spirit, is always rewarded in the end. Respect!", wrote the "Kaiser Franck". In 2013, he would have liked to become the first Bavarian since Karl‑Heinz Rummenigge in 1981 to win the Ballon d’Or wearing Bayern's colours, but that did not happen.
Manuel Neuer, another Bayern veteran, also posted a message: "So well deserved for Harry Kane. It's time to go home and score a few more goals!". Reactions from Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski are awaited.
Harry Kane's triumph, a historic turning point
Harry Kane was crowned world player of the year at a ceremony at the London Palladium, becoming the first Englishman to lift the Ballon d’Or in 25 years. The vote was decided by fewer than 41 points, one of the tightest margins since the voting overhaul in 2024.
Salihamidzic tasks Ballon d'Or winner Kane with Champions League quest
The English champion scored 73 goals, 15 more than Kylian Mbappé, who netted 58. Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga title and reached the Champions League semi‑finals, while Real Madrid, Mbappé's club, was eliminated by the Bavarians in the quarter‑finals.
Kylian Mbappé finished second in the ranking, followed by Lamine Yamal in third place. Rodri placed fourth and Lionel Messi fifth. Kane thus joins Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978, 1979) and Michael Owen (2001) as the fifth Englishman to win the trophy.
Ballon d’Or winner Kane on track for extension with Bayern Munich
In an interview with columnist Jules Breach, Kane said he does not like talking about himself. For his part, Mbappé stated he would dedicate the award to Africa, while Yamal challenged Kane's supremacy by claiming that he and Mbappé are the two best in the world.