Harry Kane jokes he would feel odd as 'Sir' after winning 2026 Ballon d'Or
Harry Kane said he would feel odd being called "Sir" after winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or, speaking to German newspaper BILD in comments published on October 29, 2026. The Bayern Munich striker and England captain also joked he would prefer to remain known as Harry for the time being.
Kane became the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the Ballon d'Or, joining past English winners such as Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan on the award's roll of honour. He finished ahead of Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in the voting for the 2026 award, according to the report.
Kane backed his claim to the prize with prolific numbers across club and country, scoring 73 goals in 65 appearances during the 2025-26 season. That total included 61 goals for Bayern Munich and 12 for England, and he also registered eight assists across those matches.
In domestic competition Kane scored 36 Bundesliga goals, a haul that earned him a third consecutive Golden Boot, and he netted 14 times in the Champions League as Bayern reached the semi-finals. He played a role in Bayern securing the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, completing a domestic treble.
On the international stage Kane scored six goals at the 2026 World Cup as England finished third, and he also collected the Gerd Mller Trophy for the best men's goalscorer. The 33-year-old's collection of individual and team honours was highlighted on the night of the Ballon d'Or announcement.
Calls have grown for Kane to receive a knighthood in recognition of his contribution to English football, though no decision on such an honour has been announced. Reflecting on those calls, Kane told BILD: "It would sound good! But I'd feel weird when everyone calls me Sir. So we'll just keep it as Harry for now,".
With no official announcement on a knighthood, the England captain has said he is not rushing the matter and will leave the discussion for another day.