Bayern Munich forward and England captain Harry Kane has made history by being named the best footballer of the year in Germany for 2026, becoming the first English player to earn this prestigious accolade.
Last season, Kane showcased remarkable scoring prowess, netting an impressive 61 goals across all competitions. His exceptional performance played a pivotal role in helping Bayern secure a domestic double, clinching both the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal, while also reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. On Wednesday, he further cemented his status in Europe by receiving the Golden Boot as the top scorer in national leagues across the continent.
This award is traditionally presented by Kicker following a vote among members of the German Sports Journalists Association, with 695 professionals casting their ballots. Candidates include all players from the Bundesliga and German players competing abroad. Kane achieved a commanding victory, securing 272 votes, well ahead of his teammate Michael Olise, who finished second with 203 votes after also coming in behind Florian Wirtz the previous year.
Bayern's sporting director, Max Eberl, expressed his pride in Kane's achievement with an emotional statement:
Choosing the right superlatives to describe Harry Kane is nearly impossible — sometimes I simply run out of words. He has previously been named footballer of the year in England and now he has claimed this title in Germany.
The Munich club dominated the individual awards this year: manager Vincent Kompany was named coach of the year, while Julia Gwinn, captain of the women's team, won the best female footballer award. A formal celebration for Kane and Kompany will take place on Friday at the Allianz Arena before the opening match of the new Bundesliga season against Stuttgart.
Over the weekend, Bayern kicked off the season by winning the German Supercup, defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-1. Kane is also among the frontrunners for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, which will be awarded in London this October. If he emerges victorious, he will become only the second Englishman in history to win the prestigious individual honour while playing for a German club, matching the feat of Kevin Keegan with Hamburg in 1978 and 1979.
