Former India captain Virat Kohli congratulated Harry Kane on his Ballon d’Or triumph on Tuesday. The England forward became the fifth Englishman to win football’s most prestigious individual honour and the first since Michael Owen in 2001.

Kane topped the voting ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, who won the men’s young talent award for the third consecutive year. Rodri, the 2024 winner, finished fourth, followed by record eight-time winner Lionel Messi.

Addressing Kane as his friend, Kohli praised the striker’s resilience, hard work and honesty throughout his career at the highest level, saying he deserved the recognition. The Indian cricketer also extended his best wishes to Kane and his family.

The Ballon d’Or capped a remarkable 2025-26 season for the Bayern Munich striker. Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country, including 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern. He also finished as Europe’s top scorer and helped England secure third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Kane scored 36 goals in the Bundesliga as Bayern clinched the title, finishing 16 points clear of Borussia Dortmund. He also helped the German club win the DFB-Pokal and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup to complete a domestic treble.

The 33-year-old scored another 14 goals in 13 Champions League appearances, but Bayern’s campaign ended in the semifinals, where they lost to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.