Bayern Munich striker Kane gave an exclusive interview to talkSPORT, discussing his feelings about winning the Ballon D'or, the moment Brazilian legend Ronaldo presented him with the award, the nervous wait before the ceremony, and his career journey from multiple loan spells to reaching the pinnacle of the football world.
Let's start with the Ballon D'or. The first English player since 2001, and only the fifth Englishman in history to win it. What does that actually feel like, Harry?
Honestly, it's incredible. The awards ceremony itself was very, very special, and having it in London, I think, added an extra layer of specialness. And, you know, having my friends and family there afterwards to celebrate, it was just an incredible, emotional experience. I think I probably underestimated the impact of the Ballon D'or and how many people wanted me to win it. Also, I received countless texts, calls, social media DMs, and even many congratulations from people I didn't even know. It was quite overwhelming, but I enjoyed every bit of it. It's truly been a wonderful few weeks.
Tell me about that moment and what it felt like, because obviously one of the greatest strikers in history, and one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo from Brazil, presented you with the Ballon D'or. What was it like when they called your name?
Yeah, it was like something out of a movie, you know, everything around seemed to go into slow motion. At that moment, I felt like I had my hands over my mouth for about 30 seconds to a minute, but obviously, when I watched the video back later, it was only about two seconds. But at the time, it really felt like everything was in slow motion. Before the announcement, my heart was pounding. I knew nothing about it. A lot of people asked me if I had any prior hint, but I really had no idea. So, yeah, my heart was racing, and having Ronaldo call my name made it extra special. Then I received the trophy from him. So, honestly, the final result couldn't have been better. The whole evening's experience, and the emotion that surged through me when I actually walked onto the stage, was one of the most intense highlights I've ever felt.
I know you said you had no idea at the time, which is understandable, but we heard some whispers – one minute it was Yamal, then someone else, then back to you. We've been rooting for you since you were announced in the final ten, hoping you'd win. Did you not have even the slightest inkling, a feeling that you might or might not win? Did anyone come up to you, like your brother Charlie, and say, "I've heard some good news"?
No, absolutely not.
Really, no.
Absolutely not. And you know, I think everyone was nervous at the time. My brother was nervous, my wife Kate was nervous, all the family were nervous. That almost doubled the nervousness, because I knew how much they wanted me to win this award. Yeah, I was probably like everyone else, constantly checking my phone, looking at the odds changing, looking at this rumor, that rumor. Especially because we were in the hotel for quite a long time, the ceremony was delayed by about an hour. So I was just pacing around the room in my suit, not knowing what to do. But I really knew nothing, not a single bit of information. Once I got to the event, I just sat in the front row, quietly waiting for that moment to arrive. And thankfully, the outcome was what I hoped for.
I saw you were wearing a watch that was reportedly worth around 1.5 million pounds. Did they let you keep it after you won?
Haha, that watch didn't cost me that much. I think that was just a rumor circulating about its value on the secondary market. But it was indeed a very beautiful watch, and I bought it myself. I'm an avid watch collector, well, it's one of the hobbies I genuinely enjoy spending money on. So, let's just say I know Rolex must be quite happy about it.
When you look back at your career journey, you were once on loan at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich, Leicester City, and now you're a Ballon D'or winner. I mean, your journey is incredible, and it sends a message to young kids that it's almost never too late to reach the top. Your Golden Ball win is not only significant for you personally but also incredibly inspiring for the millions of kids who have been following you for years.
Yes. I think that's exactly what I wanted to express when I spoke emotionally in my subsequent speech, to remind everyone that everyone's path is different. I wasn't the kid who everyone expected to achieve what I have today, but through hard work, confidence, resilience, and determination, I got through some tough times, and I know some people don't come back from those setbacks. So, to do what I've done really requires immense mental fortitude.
But I think it's a great message for every boy or girl out there with a dream: if you have a dream and are willing to make sacrifices and work hard for it, then anything is possible. You know, when I was young, I never even thought about the Ballon D'or. Obviously, as my understanding of football grew, and watching the era of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and so on, I started to think, okay, maybe one day I also aspire to win it. But from history, you can also see how difficult it is to win it, especially for an English player. So, I am very proud to represent our country in this way.