‘He’s a goal machine’: Graeme Souness backs England captain Harry Kane to win Ballon d’Or

‘He’s a goal machine’: Graeme Souness backs England captain Harry Kane to win Ballon d’Or Graeme Souness has backed Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Souness waxed lyrical about the England captain’s goalscoring, though he also raised concerns about the level of competition in the Bundesliga. Kane is among the favourites to claim football’s most prestigious individual award after another remarkable season with Bayern. However, Souness believes the striker’s achievements must be considered alongside the strength of the German league compared to the Premier League. The 33-year-old had an outstanding campaign last season, scoring 61 goals in 51 appearances. His impressive performances helped Vincent Kompany’s side win a domestic double, while Kane also claimed the Bundesliga Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe. He continued his fine form on the international stage, scoring six goals in seven matches for England at the World Cup in North America as the Three Lions finished third. Kane’s performances have also earned him a new three-year contract with Bayern , ending speculation about his future following links to Barcelona. “The hardest thing to do in football is score goals,” he said on talkSPORT . “He scores goals for fun. “I’d have to factor in this, the Bundesliga is not the greatest league. It’s not got the intensity that the Premier League has. I’d have to say that, but he’s a goal machine. “I know Rodri won it recently, (Luka) Modric a couple of years ago, but it’s generally the guys that put the ball in the back of the net. “I suppose that’s very deservedly so because that is the hardest thing to do in the game of football.” Kane is one of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or, alongside England teammates Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice. Bayern teammates Luis Diaz, Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano have also been nominated. If Kane wins, he would become the first German-based player to receive the award since Borussia Dortmund’s Matthias Sammer in 1996. Bayern have previously produced three Ballon d’Or winners – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who claimed the prize in 1980 and 1981, Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer.