“Harry, My Friend, You Deserve Every Bit”: Virat Kohli’s Special Praise for Ballon d’Or Winner Harry Kane
Harry Kane’s remarkable journey to the summit of world football has earned him the biggest individual prize in the game, with the England captain crowned the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or winner in London. But among the many messages pouring in for the Bayern Munich striker,Kane’s landmark achievement also drew praise from Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli.
Xtratime Webdesk: Harry Kane’s remarkable journey to the summit of world football has earned him the game's biggest individual prize: the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or. Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli was among the many who praised Kane's landmark achievement.
For Indian fans, the biggest talking point after Harry Kane’s historic night was Kohli’s heartfelt tribute. The former India captain took to Instagram to congratulate the striker, addressing the England skipper not simply as a fellow sporting icon, but as a friend.
“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.
Kohli’s words went beyond Kane’s extraordinary numbers. His praise centred on the qualities that have defined Kane’s long rise: resilience, consistency, hard work and the manner in which he has conducted himself at the highest level.
For Kane, the Ballon d’Or represents the culmination of a journey that included loan spells early in his career before he established himself among football’s elite. As he reflected after receiving the trophy, his route to the top was anything but straightforward.
