Can one truly be a quiet juggernaut? That’s the question for Harry Kane, who, despite putting up numbers that could compete with any of the world’s top strikers, isn’t receiving the attention he deserves.
After another Bundesliga weekend featuring a goal and a dominating victory, Kane heads back to North London midweek — on the other side this time — to further enhance his already impressive resume as one of the world’s elite strikers.
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The 32-year-old English forward for Bayern Munich has accumulated 24 goals and 3 assists in just 18 matches this season — and no, those figures aren’t errors — with his team remaining unbeaten across all competitions.
MORE — Bundesliga standings, leading scorers
Remarkably, Bayern has drawn only once — a 2-2 match against Union Berlin in Week 10 — while winning the other 17 matches.
Perhaps due to Bayern’s historical dominance in the Bundesliga or Kane’s understated style, both the team and its star player have been somewhat overlooked.
However, that could change if he finds a Ballon d’Or in his trophy cabinet by this time next year, as he currently stands a strong chance of being named the world’s best player.
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Bayern Munich and Harry Kane dominating the competition
Bayern has triumphed in the UEFA Champions League against both World Cup finalists Chelsea and PSG, the latter being a decisive victory at the Parc des Princes.
They’ve triumphed over second-place Leverkusen 3-0, defeated third-place Dortmund 2-1, and crushed fourth-place Leipzig 6-0.
The team’s tally across all competitions? 59 goals scored and just 11 conceded, with zero losses to show.
Bayern’s offensive prowess is so pronounced that two of Kane’s closest competitors in the Bundesliga scoring race are his own teammates; no one comes close to his 14 goals, while Luis Diaz and Michael Olise each have 6.
Fotmob’s “top player” statistic indicates that half of the league’s top ten players are from Bayern: Kane, Olise, Diaz, Joshua Kimmich, and Tom Bischof. American fans will be pleased to see Malik Tillman at No. 10, who spent his formative years at Bayern from ages 13 to 22.
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Expand it to the top 20 performers? Enter Konrad Laimer and Serge Gnabry. If we’re counting up to 11 like Spinal Tap, Bayern has 11 players rated among the top 42. That’s essentially an entire squad — minus a goalkeeper, it’s worth noting.
This depth may render the Bundesliga title a mere formality for Bayern and could similarly ensure an easy path in the Champions League knockout rounds (though Arsenal will be hoping to challenge the Bavarians this Wednesday in North London).
Could a Ballon d’Or beckon for Harry Kane as he rivals Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe?
Bayern is heavily favored to win the Bundesliga and is a strong contender in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Kane’s England team is expected to be a strong force in the World Cup this summer in the United States.
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Are we witnessing a potential first Ballon d’Or campaign for an English player since Michael Owen achieved it in 2001?
Let’s examine the stats of the frontrunners for an award that traditionally favors goal scorers. The statistics begin from August 1.
Player A: 24G+3A in 18 games for club; 5G in 5 caps for country
Player B: 18G+2A in 16 games for club; 5G+3A in 4 caps for country
Player C: 19G+1A in 16 games for club; 13G+2A in 5 caps for country
All quite comparable, right? So why do Erling Haaland (Player C) and Kylian Mbappe (Player B) appear to be strong candidates for the Ballon d’Or top three, while Kane seems a long shot? Of course, if these trends continue throughout the year, that perception may change, but it feels as though Kane remains somewhat of an underdog in the larger football narrative.
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It would be ironic if Kane claimed the Ballon d’Or while playing for a club outside of England; however, his accomplishments merit such recognition. For many years, he was closely associated with Spurs — a club often seen as underdogs. Now, with one of the world’s most powerful clubs as his stage, Kane should finally be recognized for what he truly is: one of the most complete players of his generation, if not in the entire history of the game.
Will he be able to display these skills prominently this week against Arsenal?