A message from Harry Kane following his Ballon d’Or win was interpreted as a dig at Mbappé and Yamal. Now the Bayern star is clarifying what he meant.

Harry Kane sparked debate following his Ballon d’Or triumph. Shortly after the ceremony, the Bayern Munich forward posted a message on social media that many fans interpreted as a dig at Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.

“Work hard in silence; let your success speak for itself,” Kane wrote after his victory. Because Mbappé and Yamal had spoken much more aggressively about their own chances in the run-up to the vote, it seemed likely that Kane might have been alluding to his two rivals.

Now Kane himself has clarified that this was not his intention. After Bayern’s 6-1 victory over Magdeburg in the DFB Cup, the 33-year-old was asked about the discussion.

A dig at Kane? “No, absolutely not.”

“No, absolutely not. To be honest, that’s a quote that’s stuck with me throughout my entire career. It really captures who I am, what I do, and how I feel about hard work, discipline, and dedication,” Kane explained.

Kane also referred to the work he does away from the public eye. “I’ve often had to train alone. It all happens behind the scenes—it’s about all the work I put in. I just think it’s a great message that both boys and girls can take something from,” said the Englishman.

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This statement is consistent with Kane’s demeanor throughout the Ballon d’Or race. Even before the vote, he had emphasized that he didn’t want to run a personal campaign. Instead of publicly declaring himself the favorite, Kane wanted his performance on the field to speak for itself.

In the end, the Bayern star prevailed over Mbappé and Yamal in the vote. What seemed like a belated dig at his rivals after the triumph was, according to Kane’s own account, nothing more than a personal motto that has long guided him.

This article was translated into English by AI. You can read the original version here https://fcbinside.de/2026/10/29/spitze-gegen-mbappe-und-yamal-jetzt-spricht-kane/.