Harry Kane says Bayern München and José Mourinho both helped shape the season that ended with his Ballon d’Or win. The Bayern striker pointed to the club's support around the award and to the freedom Mourinho gave him when he was developing as a more complete forward. He also signed a contract extension at Bayern until 2029.
Bayern's role in the move
Speaking to bundesliga.com, Kane said the move to Bayern was “a major step” for him and his family. He added that he wanted to test himself and see “what level I could potentially reach”. That move has been matched by output, with Kane scoring 102 Bundesliga goals in 103 appearances since joining in summer 2023.
The European return is strong as well. He has 37 goals from 42 UEFA Champions League appearances for Bayern, and that kind of production is why his Ballon d’Or claim does not feel out of place. Kane remains the leading scorer in three consecutive Bundesliga seasons, which is a pretty strong marker of how quickly he settled in.
Mourinho's influence on his game
Kane was just as direct about Mourinho's part in his development. “When José Mourinho arrived, he took my game to another level, in part by giving me a great deal of freedom,” he said. Kane explained that he knew passing was one of his strengths and that dropping deeper helped him handle the ball under pressure.
That is the version of Kane Bayern have benefited from. He is not only finishing moves, he is running them from different zones of the pitch. Rio Ngumoha also said Kane's Ballon d’Or win is encouraging more young players to want to be known as the best player in the world, which shows how far the conversation has spread beyond Munich.
Kane's next target is still the Champions League with Bayern, and he has said he always wants to win it with this team. Bayern's league campaign continues with him already on a huge goals total and a contract that now runs to 2029.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
