Bundesliga: Kane voted player of the year in Germany

Munich witnessed Harry Kane being named the 2026 player of the year in Germany on Sunday, as decided by an association of sports journalists. The Munich striker, who leads Bayern Munich, edged out teammate Michael Olise to claim the prestigious accolade. A brief recap of Kane's impressive 2025 season includes winning the Bundesliga and German Cup, as well as reaching the Champions League semi-finals with his club.

Kane also proved his prowess for the England national team, scoring a remarkable 61 goals across all competitions last season. His stellar performance saw him lead England to the World Cup semi-finals, where they were defeated by Argentina.

Kane's achievement marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first Englishman to win this award. Meanwhile, Michael Olise, Kane's fellow Bayern teammate, secured the second spot in the voting. The German sports journalists association, comprising 695 members, participates in the election process, considering Bundesliga players or those playing football abroad for the honor.

Bayern Munich's boss, Vincent Kompany, was honored as the coach of the year, while their women's captain, Giulia Gwinn, claimed the award for the best female player. Both awards were decided through a vote from the association's members. Speaking about Kane's accomplishment, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl expressed his admiration, saying, "It's almost impossible to find the right superlatives to describe Harry Kane—sometimes I'm at a loss for words."

The England captain is currently among the frontrunners for the Ballon d'Or, the award that will be presented in London in October.