Tuchel, Bundesliga Hail Kane After Ballon d’Or Triumph

England head coach Thomas Tuchel and Bundesliga chief executives Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel have congratulated Harry Kane on winning the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, describing the honour as deserved recognition of the striker’s outstanding performances.

Kane, the Bayern Munich forward, received the prestigious trophy from French football news magazine France Football on Monday evening.

‘Congratulations Harry on a deserved Ballon D’Or!’ said Tuchel.

‘I ran out of superlatives to describe your performances a long time ago, but I’m delighted to see that you have now been formally recognised by the football world.

‘To become the first Englishman to win this huge honour in 25 years makes it extra special and we are lucky to have you as our leader.

‘I know you will enjoy this moment with your loved ones and then get back to doing what you do best, scoring goals and winning football matches.’

The Bundesliga also paid tribute to Kane, with its chief executives, Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel, praising his consistency, commitment and influence on football fans worldwide.

‘Harry Kane is one of the most outstanding players of his generation. He embodies an extraordinary commitment to excellence and continues to inspire millions of football fans around the world time and again. No one deserves the 2026 Ballon d’Or more than Harry Kane. It is a tremendous pleasure to watch him week in, week out in the Bundesliga,’ Lenz and Merkel said.

Kane’s triumph makes him the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the prestigious individual award, ending a 25-year wait for an English winner.

The Bayern Munich striker beat Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to the honour, with his name chanted by the London crowd as he stepped onto the stage to collect the prize.