Harry Kane's prospects of winning the Ballon d'Or for the first time have improved significantly after France's elimination from the World Cup. The England captain, who fired Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title this season, was among the favourites for the prestigious award. However, his chances were heavily dependent on both his and England's performances at the World Cup.
England have reached the semi-finals and will face Argentina, with Kane scoring six goals in the tournament so far. The 32-year-old's main competitors included Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise, all of whom saw their World Cup journeys ended by Spain's 2-1 victory in the semi-final. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secured the win for the reigning European champions.
Kane's Confidence Ahead of Argentina Clash
Speaking before the World Cup, Kane expressed confidence that a strong tournament would put him in Ballon d'Or contention. "I'd probably say I'll be up there for sure. With the season I've had, I think with winning the three trophies, the numbers I've reached, I think I'll be in that conversation," Kane said. "If I win the World Cup on top of that, you would imagine it would be one of the England players."
He added: "I think you're starting to hear the noise about the players who are maybe favourites for the Ballon d'Or at the moment, maybe me and Michael [Olise] and some of the players who were Champions League finalists. So it's been an incredible season. I'm not the type of guy who wants to say I deserve the Ballon d'Or. I try and do my talking on the pitch."
Remaining Competition
Kane could still face competition from Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, who has been tipped for the Ballon d'Or after a stunning season in Catalonia. The England captain will aim to take a significant step towards the award on Wednesday when Thomas Tuchel's side takes on Argentina in Atlanta.
With three major contenders out of the race, Kane's path to the Ballon d'Or has become clearer, but much will depend on England's performance in the semi-final and potentially the final.
