Will Harry Kane be knighted after Ballon d'Or glory?

Kane won the Ballon d'Or on Monday, becoming the first English winner in 25 years; a No. 10 spokeswoman said the PM is proud but declined to pre-empt the honours process on a potential knighthood.

Harry Kane became the first English footballer to win the Ballon d'Or on Monday night, an achievement that has sparked discussion about whether he should receive a knighthood. Previous Ballon d'Or winners Stanley Matthews and Bobby Charlton were both knighted, though Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen, despite winning the award, never received the honour.

On behalf of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, a No. 10 spokeswoman praised Kane's achievement as "extraordinary", noting it comes 70 years after Matthews won the inaugural award. She acknowledged Kane's enormous contribution to English football both on and off the pitch, but stopped short of committing to a knighthood, saying the government would not "pre-empt the honours process".

At 33, Kane is England's captain, all-time top goalscorer, and close to becoming the nation's all-time appearance maker. Commentators including talkSPORT's Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist highlighted Kane as an inspiration to young players, citing his journey from loan spells to becoming one of football's greatest strikers.