Overview
- Betting markets have moved sharply in Kane’s favour, with Betway installing him as the odds-on favourite after France Football named a 30-player shortlist for the award.
- Kane scored an exceptional total for club and country last season, widely reported as 73 goals, and helped Bayern win the DFL Supercup, Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal while the club fell short in the Champions League.
- Former players are divided over his chances: Teddy Sheringham says the Ballon d’Or usually rewards Champions League or World Cup winners, while Michael Owen names the contest largely between Kane and Rodri.
- Kane has said he is proud to be nominated and that the outcome is in the hands of voters, a position reinforced by visible backing from Bayern figures including coach Vincent Kompany.
- The winner will be chosen by national journalists at the ceremony in London on October 26, and the vote will test whether exceptional individual numbers and a domestic treble can outweigh the traditional preference for the biggest international or European trophies.