Matthaus: Kane is the ballon d'Or favorite for me

In a program on Bild, Matthäus expressed his support for Bayern star Kane, believing that the player is a role model in football, and his honors and performance deserve the Ballon d'Or.

Four Bayern players were included in the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist. First, of course, Kane, then Luis Díaz, Upamecano, and Michael Olise. Of course, they were all recognized for the excellent results the team achieved last season. You already revealed that Kane is your favorite. Can you tell us more about why you think Kane deserves to win the Ballon d'Or compared to some of the other big names on the list?

Matthäus: Yes, the list basically contains the names everyone expected. It's certainly a good thing that four Bayern players were included. Unfortunately, there are no German players, which is somewhat sad. But we have already seen with the German national team that if a team is eliminated early in a tournament and does not perform well, it becomes very difficult to nominate such players.

The players on this list have all maintained excellent performance throughout the year in their respective club teams. At the World Cup, most of their teams at least reached the quarterfinals.

Why is Kane my favorite? First, he is the German champion, German Cup winner, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and the World Cup, and England ultimately finished third in the World Cup. He performed excellently in every competition, scored his goals, and led the team. He is a player who can change the game. His personality on and off the field, and the way he interacts with fans and journalists, are also very important to me. Because a player who wins the Ballon d'Or should inherently serve as a role model.

What about the others? What did they win? Of course, everyone won something. But if you combine overall achievements and individual performance, then I must say that Kane ultimately has the advantage. Because some won the Champions League, some became world champions, but at the same time, they didn't achieve much at their clubs.

Mbappe ultimately didn't win any titles. Vinicius is in a similar situation. They didn't win the Champions League, nor did they win the league title with Real Madrid, and they didn't achieve anything at the national team level. So I think Kane has a very good chance of winning this Ballon d'Or. I hope he wins, not because he is a Bayern player, but because he himself is a very excellent role model in international football.

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