Harry Kane thanked Tottenham for helping him fulfil his dreams and paid tribute to his international teammates after becoming the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d’Or.
The Bayern Munich striker beat Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to football’s most prestigious individual award at a ceremony in London on Monday, becoming the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001.
Kane, who joined Tottenham at the age of 11 before leaving for Bayern in 2023, reserved a special mention for his former club during his acceptance speech.
“I want to say thank you to Tottenham Hotspur. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Tottenham, for sure,” Kane said.
“I was there from 11 years old. [With] all the guidance, the coaches, you allowed me to live my dream.
“So, for sure, without all those moments together, all the ups and downs along the way of that journey has led me to this moment here today. So I just want to say thank you to Tottenham Hotspur.”
Kane then singled out several coaches who helped him during his time at Spurs, including Chris Ramsey, Tim Sherwood and Ryan Mason, whom he described as one of his best friends.
The 33-year-old, who captained England to third place at the 2026 World Cup, also had praise for his international teammates during a lengthy and emotional speech.
“To all my England teammates. We had a special year,” Kane said. “It wasn’t the perfect year but we had a lot of good moments.
“We built a great bond together, a lot of togetherness, the way we played and it is truly an honour to play and captain you.
“This one is for all of us, for sure.”
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He added on coach Thomas Tuchel: “To Thomas Tuchel and the staff, the leadership, the way you drive us, the way you push standards, it is an honour to represent you.”
Tuchel, meanwhile, congratulated his captain on becoming just the fifth Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or.
“Congratulations Harry on a deserved Ballon d’Or!” Tuchel said.
“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.”
Wembley lit up its gold arches afterwards to mark Kane’s historic achievement.
Kane, who also thanked several other coaches and Bayern — including mentioning manager Vincent Kompany who is currently recovering from a collapse suffered last week — finished off by saying: “To my wife Kate, my best friend. We’ve been through ups and downs. You are my biggest support and I felt like you wanted this more than me.
“The anxious wait … Here it is, we done it and you always want the best for me. You sacrifice yourself to make me achieve my dreams. This wouldn’t be possible without you and it is something we can celebrate, not me. We’re a team. I can’t wait to celebrate tonight. I love you.
“My kids, sat home watching, it’s definitely past your bedtime! To Ivy, Vivienne, Louis and Henry, you are the reason I do it. This is a special one and I can’t wait to bring this home and celebrate with you. I love you very much.”
