Matthäus: Ballon d'Or Triumph Will Convince Kane to Stay at Bayern Munich

Former World Cup winner Lothar Matthäus believes winning the Ballon d'Or will persuade Harry Kane to extend his contract with Bayern Munich.

Kane, who beat Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal in the voting to claim the prestigious award, became the first English player to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. The star striker, who remains in talks with Bayern Munich over a new contract, is said to be very close to agreeing fresh terms with the club.

Matthäus, for his part, is confident that Kane's latest achievement will strengthen his belief that Bayern is the right place for him.

Speaking at an online press conference, the 1990 Ballon d'Or winner said: "We are very happy that Harry Kane is in the Bundesliga. He is an international ambassador for football. Maybe he always dreamed of winning the Ballon d'Or, but to do that you have to play for a big club like Bayern. He has found the peace he was looking for in Munich; he is at the right club, with the right teammates."

Kane played a major part in Bayern completing a Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double last season, before taking a leading role in a historic achievement for the national team by leading England to third place at the World Cup.

With a total of 73 goals for club and country in the 2025-26 season, Kane became one of the rare players in Europe's top five leagues to pass the 70 mark in a single season. Lionel Messi scored 82 goals in 2011-12, the season in which he won one of his eight Ballon d'Or titles. Kane, who found the net 61 times in all competitions for Bayern, scored at least 19 more goals than any other player in Europe's major leagues and matched the 61-goal tally Cristiano Ronaldo reached with Real Madrid in 2014-15.

Matthäus concluded:

"I think he will get a bonus for winning the Ballon d'Or, although I got nothing 36 years ago. But this is about much more than money. It is the perfect time to sign a new contract with Bayern, because Bayern helped him win this Ballon d'Or. The chemistry between Harry Kane and Bayern Munich is perfect, and considering everything that has happened over the last three years, I think Harry will sign a new contract for the next two or three years."