Harry Kane is a rare figure in football, earning universal respect from supporters and rivals alike as a modest and hard-working athlete. On Monday night, the star ended the Englishmen's 25 year wait for the prestigious Ballon d'Or trophy, forever etching himself into the very fabric of footballing history.
He opened his speech by thanking many people, including Jose Mourinho, before crying while paying tribute to his parents and his childhood sweetheart and wife, Kate. Next month he is on course to become his country's most capped player, and his record-breaking 2025/26 season saw him net 61 goals, far ahead of Real Madrid player Kylian Mbappé in second with 42 goals.
The author recalled meeting the player at St George's training ground while recovering from an injury, noting how kind and down to earth he was. He also met him during a volunteering event for the Make A Wish Foundation, where the player kicked balls with seriously ill children away from publicity. The father of four set up his own foundation years ago to raise millions for good causes, particularly mental health.
When he transferred to Bayern Munich, he quickly started German lessons and used an AI chatbot to learn the language and read to his kids. His business ventures include a Starbucks partnership that sent £500,000 to his foundation, a deal with Skechers, and his company HK28 LTD managing his investments alongside a family property firm.
