In an interview with L'Équipe, England star Harry Kane, who currently plays for Bayern Munich, spoke about his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, stating that even without considering the World Cup, he deserves to win it. He also believes that his long title drought at Tottenham has only deepened his hunger for trophies.

Before you joined Bayern in 2023, you were criticized for a lack of silverware. But this season you won the DFL-Supercup, the Bundesliga, and the DFB-Pokal. Given the long wait, are these trophies even more precious to you?

Kane: "It's true that I had to be very patient in that regard. Compared to players of a similar level back then [during my time at Spurs], I always felt I was putting together great individual seasons, but we just couldn't quite get over the line as a team. With each passing year, my drive to win trophies grew stronger, and I knew that joining Bayern would give me a much better chance of doing exactly that."

You scored 61 goals for Bayern this season. If someone had told you last summer that your tally would reach that number, would you have believed them?

Kane: "I don't know, because that number is honestly mind-blowing. My previous career-high for a single season was 44 goals [in 2023-2024]. When you break the 60-goal barrier, you enter a realm that, in recent history, only Lionel Messi [73 goals in 2011-2012, 60 goals in 2012-2013] and Cristiano Ronaldo [60 goals in 2011-2012, 61 goals in 2014-2015] have ever reached. Back then, those kinds of stats seemed completely unimaginable to me."

You're playing more and more as a 'false nine' now. It feels almost counterintuitive, but it seems like the further you are from the goal, the easier it is for you to score.

Kane: "Maybe that has to do with the freedom Vincent Kompany has given me. Over the past few years, I've also learned how to arrive in the box at the perfect moment. When you play strictly as a center-forward, you sometimes just stand in the box waiting for the attack to develop, which makes you much easier to mark. But when I occasionally drop deep into an No. 8 or even a No. 6 role, I can suddenly burst into open spaces before the defenders even notice."

Did your efficiency in front of goal this season also stem from the thrill of competition? After all, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé were matching you goal-for-goal last autumn.

Kane: "Definitely. The three of us all had incredible starts to the season. I was well aware of their stats, but it wasn't an obsession where I just had to beat them. If I managed to break the 60-goal mark, it's simply because I didn't have a slump this year; I stayed incredibly consistent."

This also earned you your second European Golden Shoe.

Kane (interrupting): "Which is a massive honor. Especially since, as far as I know, only Cristiano and Messi have won it more times than me [Ronaldo 4 times, Messi 6 times]."

You seem very familiar with all the stats of these legendary goalscorers.

Kane: "Yes, I like to use these numbers to motivate myself (laughs). But a prize like this is also a reminder that none of this would be possible without my teammates, the coaching staff, and everyone who supports me."

The World Cup starts on June 11th. As the England captain, what is your goal?

Kane: "The goal, of course, is to win it. That has to be our objective. It's going to be tough, but we've come so close over the years: two Euros finals [2021, 2024], a World Cup semifinal [2018], and a quarterfinal [2022]. This year we have a new manager [Thomas Tuchel] and some new players, which is exciting, but it also brings a lot of pressure."

How do you handle such massive external expectations during a major tournament?

Kane: "The key is to build a 'bubble' during the tournament and block out the outside noise. There will always be pundits, media, and podcasts, and if you listen to all of it, you'll go crazy. So you have to stay clear on your goals and build a stable environment in camp—one that won't fall apart just because of a single defeat. But at the end of the day, you can talk all you want before the game; the real difference is made on the pitch."

This will be your first major tournament with Thomas Tuchel. What is your relationship like with him?

Kane: "It's really good, and it was originally built during our time at Bayern. He was one of the main reasons I joined the club in the first place [before he left in the summer of 2024]. At Bayern, I really loved his personality, his tactical ideas, and the way he wanted me to play. In a way, he has carried those same methods over to the England squad."

Did he let you know in advance whether you had made the final squad?

Kane: "No. We just had a brief chat over the winter and occasionally texted each other to wish each other good luck after that, but we never discussed the squad list. He just called to officially let me know I was in."

That wasn't exactly a surprise for you, was it?

Kane: "Yeah (laughs). He just wanted to keep it official. The World Cup is a massive deal, so even if I expected it, it's still great to get that call. The day I stop getting called up is going to be a very tough one."

How do you balance the selfishness of a striker with the responsibility of a captain?

Kane: "It's definitely a tough balance. A striker's job is to score goals, and if you aren't scoring, it's hard to have the authority to demand things from others. But as a leader, you also have to bring out the very best in everyone around you."

Do you ever visualize yourself lifting the World Cup trophy?

Kane: "I tend to use visualization more to prepare for games—imagining the stadium, the opponents, positions, and chances. But it would be dishonest to say I've never thought about lifting the World Cup."

If England wins the World Cup, will you be the favorite for the Ballon d'Or?

Kane: "I'd certainly be one of the favorites. If I have the goals and the trophies, I'll be right there in the conversation. And if England wins it, the Ballon d'Or might naturally lean toward an England player."

If the award were handed out right now, without taking the World Cup into account, do you feel you deserve it?

Kane: "I think so. If you look at the current shortlist of favorites, you see Michael Olise, players who were involved in the Champions League final, and me. But I'm not the type of person who will publicly declare that I 'must win it.' I prefer to let my performances do the talking."

What does the Ballon d'Or mean to you?

Kane: "I won't say I dreamed about it as a little kid. But during my teenage years, when I really started to understand football deeply, it was the era when Cristiano and Messi completely monopolized the award. That was when I realized just how much it truly means."

Are you aware that this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held in London on October 26th?

Kane: "Yes, I am. I think it might be a good omen (laughs). To win it in the city where I was born would be incredibly special."

What records could you potentially break during this World Cup?

Kane: "The most exciting one is the all-time World Cup finals scoring record [held by Miroslav Klose with 16 goals], but I'm still quite far off [on 8 goals]. However, I do have a shot at breaking the record for the most World Cup goals by an England player [Gary Lineker with 10 goals]. If I manage to do that, it'll also mean the team has gone a long way in the tournament."

Is this constant chasing of records an endless cycle for you?

Kane: "It's the way I keep myself motivated; it pushes me to keep improving. That's just who I am. In fact, I can tell you right now that next season, I'm going to try to score even more goals and beat 61 (laughs)."