Kane hopes for Ballon d'Or after 'best season ever'

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has set his sights on the Ballon d'Or after receiving his second European Golden Shoe in Munich on Wednesday.

The England captain collected the prize after scoring the most goals across Europe's top divisions last season.

Kane won the 2023-24 award after a prolific first season at Bayern, but said this year's honor felt "even better than the first".

The 33-year-old scored 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga games last term, the third most in a German topflight campaign, while also helping his team win the German Cup for a domestic double.

He also netted six times at the World Cup, becoming England's top goalscorer at the competition with 14 career goals.

In total, he scored 73 goals for club and country last season.

Kane said he hoped to receive soccer's highest individual honor after his "best season ever".

"Obviously, that's out of my control. I know, of course, there's going to be a lot of talk about it from now until October when it's announced," he said.

"Ultimately, I did everything I could last season. It was my best season by far. I achieved a lot with the teams I was in."

Kane made it to the Champions League semifinals with Bayern, but was narrowly defeated by eventual winner Paris Saint-Germain.

He also reached the semifinals of the World Cup with England before an agonizing 2-1 loss to Argentina.

Only serial Ballon d'Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the Golden Shoe more often than Kane.

Messi won the award six times, all with Barcelona, while Ronaldo won it three times at Real Madrid and once at Manchester United.

"That's for you guys to debate, and the fans to debate," Kane said of the possible winner of this year's Ballon d'Or, which will be handed out in London in late October.

"That's what makes the Ballon d'Or so special, as well. Many players have had great seasons."

Kane said on Monday he was about to begin negotiations to extend his contract at Bayern, which is set to expire in 2027.