Bayern Munich star Harry Kane believes he will be a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or if he leads England to World Cup glory.
Following a season where he scored 61 goals across all competitions, the prolific forward is confident that lifting the ultimate international trophy will solidify his claim for the sport's top individual prize.
Kane has enjoyed arguably the greatest campaign of his career. He finished as the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 36 goals in 31 matches, claimed the European Golden Shoe for the second time in three years, and secured three collective trophies.
Speaking with L'Equipe, the striker opened up about how these accomplishments lead him to dream about claiming the Ballon d'Or, awarded October 26 in London.
Despite his remarkable domestic statistics, the Three Lions captain knows winning the World Cup is almost definitely required. "I’d be one of the favorites, definitely," Kane explained. "Given the trophies I’ve won this season and the number of goals I’ve scored, I’d be in the running. Especially as, should England win the World Cup, one could imagine the trophy going to an English player."
Kane is realistic about fierce competition. "When you look at who the current favorites are to win the Ballon d’Or, there’s Michael (Olise), the Champions League finalists and me," he estimates.
Having secured a brilliant domestic treble, Kane now shifts focus to international duty. England will face New Zealand on June 6 and Costa Rica on June 10 before their World Cup Group L campaign against Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.