Harry Kane’s historic triumph in the 2026 Ballon d’Or has been widely celebrated as a landmark moment for English football. On 26 October 2026, the Bayern Munich star finally lifted the prestigious award in London, becoming the first Englishman to claim it since Michael Owen in 2001. Kane’s outstanding season, in which he scored 73 goals across club and country, finally delivered the individual recognition that many felt had long been overdue. Yet beyond the statistics and the trophy itself, one of the most talked-about aspects of the aftermath has been the personal messages of congratulations Kane received and, in particular, the warm exchange with Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli.
‘Sportspeople I really admire’: Bayern Munich star Harry Kane reveals Virat Kohli’s message after winning Ballon d’Or left him star-struck
Kane’s stunning Ballon d’Or win attracted several superstars from the sports fraternity, and he decided to acknowledge it, including Kohli’s stunning message. In a press conference held ahead of Bayern Munich’s Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid, Kane was asked which of the many congratulatory messages had left him most star-struck. His reply was characteristically measured and modest. He said:
“I don’t know about starstruck.”
Kane added:
“But I had a lot of people I look up to message me. People like David Beckham, who was a big idol of mine, Tom Brady, Virat Kohli, a lot of sportspeople I really admire. A good friend of mine, Ed Sheeran, who’s at the top in the music industry, too. I had many, many messages, all of which I was extremely grateful for.”
By naming Kohli in the same breath as Beckham and Brady, Kane underlined the genuine respect he holds for the former India captain. The inclusion of a cricketer among football legends and an American football great spoke volumes about the breadth of Kane’s admiration and the cross-sport bonds that elite athletes sometimes form. Kane went on to reflect on the sheer scale of the public reaction, admitting that he had underestimated how many people outside his immediate circle had been rooting for him to win. The outpouring of support on social media and the personal messages from figures he had never expected to hear from left him genuinely moved. The message that prompted Kane’s comments came from Kohli himself the day after the ceremony. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), the Indian batsman wrote:
“Harry my friend, you deserve every bit of this award for your resilience, hard work and honesty with which you’ve carried yourself through all these years playing football at the top.”
Kohli added:
“Really happy for you. God bless you and your family. They must all be very proud of you as you would be of your own journey. My best wishes always. Congratulations.”
The tone was personal and affectionate. Kohli addressed Kane as “my friend” and focused not only on the goals and trophies but on the quieter qualities of resilience, hard work and honesty that have defined the striker’s career.
Harry Kane and Virat Kohli’s friendship
That friendship did not begin overnight. Its roots stretch back almost a decade. In 2016, Kane publicly praised Kohli’s brilliant unbeaten 82 against Australia in the T20 World Cup, an innings that helped India to an important victory. Three years later, the pair met in person at Lord’s during the 2019 Cricket World Cup period. Images from that encounter show them exchanging signed shirts and smiling on the outfield, a visual reminder of mutual respect between two of the most recognisable sportsmen of their generation.
Since then, they have continued to exchange occasional messages of appreciation, a quiet but consistent relationship that has now been highlighted by Kane’s Ballon d’Or success. Kane’s decision to single out Kohli’s message carries extra resonance because the two athletes operate in very different sporting cultures.
Football and cricket rarely overlap in the public imagination in the same way that football and basketball or American football sometimes do. Yet both men have built careers on consistency, leadership under pressure and an almost relentless pursuit of excellence. Kane has long been admired for his professional approach and ability to deliver season after season at the highest level; Kohli is renowned for the same attributes in cricket.
When Kane listed Kohli among the sportspeople he truly admires, he was acknowledging that shared mindset. The wider context of Kane’s achievement adds further weight to the exchange. For years, the Ballon d’Or conversation had centred on a small group of superstars. Kane’s victory, achieved after a campaign that included domestic success with Bayern Munich and strong performances for England, felt like a validation of sustained excellence rather than fleeting brilliance.
The fact that messages arrived from figures as diverse as Beckham, Brady, Sheeran and Kohli illustrated how widely that excellence is recognised. Kane himself seemed slightly taken aback by the breadth of support, noting that people who did not even have his number had gone out of their way to get in touch. In highlighting Kohli’s note, Kane also offered a small but meaningful reminder of the human side of elite sport.
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