Robert Lewandowski has broken his silence on Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or, offering a message on Instagram two days after the ceremony in London. The Polish striker responded to Bayern Munich’s social media post celebrating the Englishman’s triumph by writing, “Glückwunsch! Mia san mia!”

Public Silence Broken on Social Media

The comment addressed the club motto while congratulating Harry Kane, who secured the first Ballon d’Or of his career on Monday. Before the Instagram message appeared on Wednesday, German media and supporters had noted Lewandowski’s lack of a public reaction, pointing out that other former Bayern Munich stars had already spoken out about the achievement.

Historical Parallels in Munich

Kane earned the Ballon d’Or after a campaign that yielded 61 goals in 51 competitive matches for Bayern, edging out Kylian Mbappé. Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football, noted that the duel was close and the lead minimal. Kane also recorded 73 goals in 65 total appearances for Bayern and England, helping him become the first Bundesliga player to win the award since Matthias Sammer in 1996 and the first Bayern player since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981. Other historical winners for the club include Franz Beckenbauer in 1972 and 1976, and Gerd Müller in 1970, while Rummenigge also won consecutively in 1980 and 1981. In his three full seasons since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023 for 100 million euros plus potential bonus payments, Kane has scored 156 goals in 159 matches with a scoring rate of 0.98 goals per game, placing him sixth on the club’s all-time scoring list. Other notable names on the list include Gerd Müller with 570 goals in 613 games, Rainer Ohlhauser with 229 goals in 362 games, and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge with 217 goals in 422 games.

Lewandowski himself came close to winning the award during his time at the Allianz Arena, finishing second behind Lionel Messi in 2021 after breaking Gerd Müller’s single-season Bundesliga scoring record with 41 goals. The Poland international also held strong aspirations in 2020 when Bayern claimed the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League. Lewandowski scored 55 goals in 47 club appearances that year, but France Football canceled the gala due to the pandemic. He ultimately left Munich for Barcelona in 2022 with a record of 344 goals in 375 competitive appearances, maintaining a 0.92 goals-per-game ratio.

Contract Talks and Trophy Handover

While Lewandowski monitors events from Spain, Kane continues to navigate a whirlwind of media attention and contract discussions in Munich. Speaking after a 6-1 DFB-Pokal victory over FC Magdeburg where he did not play, Kane admitted to reporters that the intense spotlight makes him uncomfortable. “Mir ist sowas schnell peinlich,” he said of the widespread applause and acclaim, adding that he is still processing the achievement. When his name was announced at the ceremony in London, the 33-year-old buried his face in his hands and had tears in his eyes during his speech.

Former Bayern sporting director and board member Hasan Salihamidžić, who helped prepare Kane’s transfer alongside Oliver Kahn before leaving their posts in 2023, praised the forward to Sky Sport, calling him ein Vorbild auf und neben dem Platz and stating, Ich freue mich sehr für Harry Kane und den FC Bayern. Salihamidžić added, Das wünsche ich ihm und dem ganzen Verein.

Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen provided an update on ongoing negotiations to extend Kane’s contract at the club. Dreesen confirmed that the club and player’s representatives are currently working through the final legal details. Meanwhile, Kane noted that his immediate priority upon returning home involves explaining the heavy Golden Ball trophy to his children, stating, Ich werde ihnen erklären müssen, dass diese Trophäe eine ganz besondere ist.