Harry my friend: Virat Kohli celebrates Kane’s Ballon d’Or win with heartfelt post

Virat Kohli congratulated his friend Harry Kane after the England captain won his first Men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday (October 26). In a post on social media, Kohli praised the Bayern Munich striker’s hard work, resilience and consistency at the highest level of football.

After the awards ceremony in London, the Indian batsman shared a heartfelt message for Kane, celebrating the 33-year-old’s success and praising the way he has conducted himself throughout his career.

“Harry my friend you deserve every bit of this award for your resilience, hard work and honesty with which you have carried yourself at the top for all these years of playing football. Really happy for you. God bless you and your family. Everyone must be very proud of you as you would be of your own journey. I wish you all the best always. Congratulations,” Kohli wrote.

Kane beat off competition from Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to win the most prestigious individual honor in football. He became the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the men’s award and only the fifth English player to do so, joining Owen, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan.

The recognition capped off the most prolific season of Kane’s career. The Bayern Munich forward scored 61 goals in all competitions for the German club in the 2025-26 season, helping them win the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup.

Kane also scored 14 goals in the Champions League, although Bayern’s campaign ended in the semi-finals against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. He scored six goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as England finished third.

The Ballon d’Or was accompanied by other individual awards for Kane, who was named Male Forward of the Year. He also won the European Golden Boot after finishing as the top scorer in the domestic European leagues.

KANE’S LONG ROAD TO THE BALLON D’OR

Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph marked a major milestone in a career that saw him spend years chasing major honors before moving from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in 2023.

The England captain established himself as one of the world’s most prolific strikers during his time in the Premier League, but his move to Germany marked a new chapter in his career. His goals and consistency helped Bayern enjoy a trophy-laden 2025-26 season and strengthened his case for the individual award.

Kane acknowledged the competition he faced when collecting the trophy in London and thanked those who voted for him and his Bayern team-mates for their contribution to his success.

He also paid tribute to Bayern manager Vincent Kompany, who was recovering from a collapse in training, and thanked his wife Kate for supporting him throughout his career.

For Kohli, the occasion offered an opportunity to celebrate a friend’s success. The former India captain’s message highlighted not only Kane’s goal-scoring record but also the resilience and hard work that has taken him to the top of world football.

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