Thomas Tuchel has backed Harry Kane to win the Ballon d’Or and believes the ever-improving England star can lead the line at the next World Cup aged 36.
The Bayern Munich striker got 73 goals for club and country during a mesmerising 2025-26 campaign, winning the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup along the way.
Kane also picked up a bronze medal 10 weeks ago as England parked their semifinal heartache against Argentina to secure their best-ever World Cup finish on foreign soil.
Those performances have made him the bookmakers’ favourite to become the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.
Asked if Kane is his choice to win next month, Tuchel told ITV: “Yeah. After this season, yeah.
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“Seventy-plus goals, three titles with Bayern Munich, semifinals at the World Cup and in the Champions League.
“He’s getting better and better. I think he added a level of physicality to his match.
“He’s just so committed to high press and so committed to being involved in every part of the match.
“Be it in deep build-up, be it in finishing, be it in build-up play in the middle block, be it in defending. It’s just the full package.”
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Kane is England’s all-time top scorer and will equal Peter Shilton’s men’s team record of 125 appearances if he features in all four Nations League matches this camp.
Tuchel’s side kick things off with Saturday’s Wembley clash against Spain, who defeated Sir Gareth Southgate’s side in the Euro 2024 final before winning this summer’s World Cup.
Spain are co-hosting the next edition of the global event with Portugal and Morocco in 2030, when Kane will be 36.
When that was put to Tuchel, the England boss said: “Yeah, no problem. Age is age. It doesn’t matter. It’s only about quality, and he has a long way to go.”
