United States men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has backed Harry Kane to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, insisting the Bayern Munich striker deserves recognition for his outstanding career and performances over the past year.
Kane is among the 30 nominees for this year’s prestigious individual award after producing one of the most prolific campaigns of his career.
Softfootball reported on September 8 that the official 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or had been confirmed, with Kane included alongside several of the biggest names in world football.
Pochettino, who previously worked with Kane during their time together at Tottenham Hotspur, believes the England captain’s achievements make him a worthy winner and insisted that it is finally his time to claim the prize.
According to the USMNT boss, Kane deserves the same recognition previously awarded to legendary players such as Luka Modrić, Fabio Cannavaro and Karim Benzema.
My wish, I hope yes [he wins it]
Pochettino said of Kane, according to ESPN.
I think he deserves it as the reward for his career and for all that he has done in football.
I don’t know if he is going to be punished for the World Cup or the Champions League because he played in both semifinals.
Kane enjoyed a remarkable 2025/26 season with Bayern, scoring 61 goals in 51 appearances across competitions.
His goals played a major role in helping Vincent Kompany’s side secure both the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal, further strengthening his case for the individual award.
The England international also carried his goalscoring form onto the international stage, finding the net six times as England finished third at the 2026 World Cup.
Those achievements have placed Kane firmly among the leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or, although he faces fierce competition from several other outstanding performers.
The 30-man shortlist includes stars who enjoyed exceptional seasons at both club and international level, making the final vote one of the most anticipated in recent years.
Kane’s case is strengthened by his extraordinary goalscoring numbers, silverware with Bayern and his contribution to England’s World Cup campaign.
However, Pochettino acknowledged that Kane’s chances could potentially be affected by Bayern’s Champions League campaign and England’s World Cup outcome, particularly given that he featured in the semi-final stages rather than winning either competition.
Nevertheless, the Argentine believes Kane’s overall body of work deserves to be rewarded.
The Bayern striker will now wait alongside the other nominees for the final Ballon d’Or voting, with the football world set to discover whether his remarkable 2025/26 campaign will finally earn him the biggest individual prize in the sport.
