Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or race hit the brakes.
The Sun of Britain reported on the 7th (Korea time) that Kane received consolation from Manuel Noirer and coach Vincent Kompany after Bayern Munich was eliminated by PSG in the UEFA Champions League semifinals. Kane struck a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time of the second half, but Bayern failed to advance to the final with a 5-6 aggregate loss over the two legs.
It was a shocking elimination. Bayern lost the first leg 4-5 to PSG. After a goal-heavy match that ended in a one-goal defeat, a comeback was expected in the home second leg. But things went wrong from the start. In the third minute of the first half, they conceded the opening goal to Ousmane Dembélé, widening the aggregate gap. Kane did not give up until the end. In stoppage time of the second half, he shook the net with a powerful left-footed shot. But there was not enough time. Bayern could not score another goal, and PSG took the ticket to the final.
Kane's expression said it all. After the match ended, he buried his face in his jersey and could not lift his head. Noirer approached and embraced Kane, and coach Kompany also patted his chest to console him. This defeat meant more than just a UCL elimination. Kane had been mentioned as a leading Ballon d'Or candidate this season. He showed overwhelming scoring power on the German stage and set the remarkable record of scoring in six consecutive UCL knockout matches. It was the first such record since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2012-13 season.
But the Ballon d'Or is not decided by individual records alone. A trophy on a big stage is necessary. Earlier, The Sun quoted former England defender Gary Cahill as saying that Kane could win the Ballon d'Or if he led Bayern to a UCL title or led England to a World Cup triumph. In other words, Kane had two paths: one was Bayern winning the UCL, the other was England winning the World Cup. Now the first path is gone.
Of course, the season is not completely over. Bayern will play the German Cup final against Stuttgart after the final Bundesliga match. Kane has another opportunity to lift a trophy. But it will be difficult to overturn the Ballon d'Or race with only league and cup victories. PSG reached the final, and Dembélé also remains a strong candidate. Depending on the outcome of the Arsenal-PSG final, the Ballon d'Or landscape could shift again.
In the end, Kane's focus turns to the World Cup. England plays its first match against Croatia on June 17. Kane has plenty of rest time, but the pressure has also increased. Having missed the chance to win the UCL, he must win the World Cup or deliver an overwhelming performance there.
Kane stopped once again at a decisive threshold. Still, the Ballon d'Or dream is not completely over. The remaining stage is not his club but the national team. It is increasingly likely that Kane's 2026 will be decided in the summer wearing an England jersey rather than Bayern's.
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