Golden Shoe winner Harry Kane targets Ballon d’Or after best season

Harry Kane has received his second European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich last season. The England captain said the award has strengthened his hopes of winning the Ballon d’Or, football’s top individual prize.

Kane collected the trophy in Munich on Wednesday after finishing as the leading scorer across Europe’s top domestic divisions. He won the same award during his first season at Bayern, but considers the latest success more significant because it came during what he described as the finest campaign of his career.

His total reached 73 goals for club and country across the season. Bayern won the league and cup double, while Kane also helped the German side reach the Champions League semi-finals before Paris Saint-Germain edged them out.

The striker added six goals at the World Cup, taking his career tally in the competition to 14 and making him England’s leading scorer at the tournament. England also reached the semi-finals, where they were beaten 2-1 by Argentina.

Kane said the Ballon d’Or decision was outside his control, but believed he had done everything possible to strengthen his candidacy. The award will be presented in London in late October, with the England captain acknowledging that several players produced outstanding seasons.

Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the European Golden Shoe more often than Kane. Messi has claimed it six times with Barcelona, while Ronaldo has collected four, including three with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United.