Harry Kane said after winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or that the result reflected voters valuing many different parts of football. Real Madrid manager José Mourinho also said at his pre-match press conference that Kane deserved the moment.
Kane on what voters recognized
Kane told L’Équipe: "But that’s also what makes this Ballon d’Or so special in my eyes: I feel that the voters understood that football is based on many different things."
He added: "I know I’m not the kind of player who’ll dribble past 10 opponents before scoring, but I can hurt teams in many different ways. It’s also important to know how to help the team clear corners, block shots or track back when the opponent launches a counter-attack. I’m ready to take on all those less visible tasks."
How Kane sees the impact
Kane said that last season people really started to notice the whole package of his game, including his passing, dropping deep, creating space for others, defending and tracking back.
He also said that when he was young he played in midfield, in defense and pretty much everywhere, and that he had said in a press conference that one day teams might play with systems where players do not really have fixed positions.
Asked whether winning the Ballon d’Or would change how people see him, Kane said: "Probably, yes, especially in how the world sees me and views my career. We live in a time when this kind of award matters to people and influences their perception of a player’s level."
Kane also said he does not believe the award changes his mindset and that he always strives to go further.
Mourinho backs Kane
Mourinho said: "I had the privilege of working with Harry Kane, he is a wonderful player, an exceptional professional and a wonderful person. And of course, despite my feeling of frustration that my player did not win the award, I must be honest and say that I am very happy for Harry, because he is a player and a person who deserves this joy, at his current age, which I do not know whether it is 31 or 32 years. He deserves this happy moment, which represents a crowning of his career."
Mourinho also said Kylian Mbappé is a one-of-a-kind player.
SI reported that Kane beat Mbappé by 28 points in the Ballon d’Or voting, and SI said the margin was the fourth-tightest award race in history.
Other remarks before Sunday’s match
Mourinho said: "As for the voting, the thing that stunned me most and left me almost unable to speak is Jude Bellingham finishing in eleventh place. No comment, we end the discussion here."
Real Madrid visit Racing on Sunday 1 November in matchday 11 of La Liga.
Mourinho said Racing had played five matches at El Sardinero since promotion to the first division, with three wins and two draws. Mourinho also said Real Madrid's goal this season is to win the title.
