Klinsmann: Kane Should Be a Ballon d'Or Favorite

Former Germany forward Jurgen Klinsmann thinks Harry Kane should be a top contender for the next Ballon d'Or, citing his impressive performances.

Former Germany forward Jurgen Klinsmann believes Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane should be considered a strong contender for the next Ballon d'Or. The 1990 World Cup winner thinks Kane's impressive performances make him a top-three candidate for the prestigious award, which recognizes the best men's footballer of the year.

Klinsmann emphasized the importance of a successful Champions League campaign for Kane's Ballon d'Or prospects, saying, “If you go at least into the final four, probably if you win the Champions League, it kind of comes along.” Kane's Bayern Munich faces Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday. Klinsmann's comments come as Kane looks to follow in the footsteps of Michael Owen, the last English player to win the Ballon d'Or in 2001.

Klinsmann, who made a similar move from Tottenham to Bayern, sees parallels between his own career path and Kane's. “He had a similar situation to what I had at a club level. Until I left Spurs and went to Bayern, I didn't have a club title yet,” Klinsmann said, reflecting on his own experiences.

Klinsmann believes that leaving Tottenham was a turning point for him, and he thinks the same could be true for Kane. “I always said if Harry leaves Spurs at a certain moment in time, he will get that opportunity to win titles with his club team,” he said. Bayern's current six-point lead over Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga puts Kane on track for his first title, with six games remaining. Despite never winning the Ballon d'Or himself, Klinsmann finished second in the voting in 1995.