'You deserve every bit of this': Kohli's heartfelt message to Kane after Ballon d'Or win

Bayern Munich reply to Kohli's tribute with "From one legend to another"

Virat Kohli has penned a warm tribute to Harry Kane after the England captain and Bayern Munich striker won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, calling him a friend and praising the resilience and honesty with which he has carried himself through his career.

"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. 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," Kohli wrote on X.

Bayern Munich's official account responded to Kohli's post with a tribute of its own, replying: "From one legend to another."

Kane became the first English player in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or, finishing as Europe's top scorer last season with 73 goals for club and country. He led Bayern to a domestic double, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, ending the club's five-year drought in the latter competition.

Kane scored a hat-trick in the German Cup final and led Bayern to the Champions League semi-finals. At the World Cup, he scored six times to pass Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading scorer in the tournament and entered the top five highest goalscorers in World Cup history. England lost to Argentina in the semi-finals but beat Kylian Mbappe's France for third place, their best World Cup finish in 60 years.

Kane is also the first Bayern player since 1981, and the fourth overall, to win the award. He is the first non-German Bayern player to do so, with the others being Gerd Muller (1970), Franz Beckenbauer (1972, 1976) and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1980, 1981).