"Focused on the collective, like Dembélé and Benzema", Lloris delighted by Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or, who "doesn't seek the spotlight"

Lloris, Kane's former Tottenham captain, praises the Bayern Munich striker's Ballon d'Or win, highlighting his complete skill set and humble, team-first mentality.

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday in London, his hometown, beating Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Lionel Messi and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Bayern Munich forward, who finished third with England at the World Cup, was rewarded for his complete playing style and professional approach.

Hugo Lloris, who spent ten years alongside Kane at Tottenham between 2013 and 2023, expressed his delight at the award. "It's great to see a former teammate be Ballon d'Or winner, at home in London," the 39-year-old Los Angeles FC goalkeeper told L'Équipe. "He has an incredibly complete palette that he developed year after year. Today he can do everything—short passes, long passes, he tackles, comes back to defend, and he's surely the best player in the box."

Lloris highlighted Kane's humility and team-oriented nature as key to the achievement. "He doesn't seek the spotlight," Lloris observed. "He owes this Ballon d'Or to his professionalism and humility. He's an example in our sport. Harry is not just a goal-scoring machine." Lloris noted that recent Ballon d'Or winners like Ousmane Dembélé and Karim Benzema (2022) were similarly recognized for their collective contribution.