How Kane's Ballon d'Or win could boost the Bundesliga

Harry Kane is the first English winner of the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001

England has had to wait a long time for another winner of the Ballon d’Or, with Harry Kane on Monday night becoming the first player from the country to win it for 25 years.

But his success has also been celebrated in Germany with the Bayern Munich striker ending their even longer run without a player from the Bundesliga lifting the coveted trophy.

The last to do so was Matthias Sammer back in 1996 after he had captained Borussia Dortmund to two successive Bundesliga titles.

“Just as Bayern and the Bundesliga benefit from Kane, the reverse is also true,” Lothar Matthaus, the most capped German player of all time and 1991 Ballon d’Or winner, said.

“I don’t think Kane would’ve won the Ballon d’Or at any other club he could’ve joined. He’s developed further at Bayern and matured even more.

“He’s become a better player there, as he himself said in his speech. At Bayern, he won his very first title, with more to follow - and now he’s fulfilled a lifelong dream.”

For Kane, the trophy win will have felt special for many reasons on a personal level, having gone through ups and downs in his career to make it to the very top.

But both the Bundesliga and Bayern know how significant it will also be for the league and the club respectively.

After Kane was announced as the Ballon d’Or winner, large images from the Bundesliga were projected on to landmarks across London such as The Strand and Tate Modern, some featuring the words “England Hero. Bundesliga Legend”.

For the league, Kane’s win will show players that they can come to the Bundesliga and become recognised as the best player in the world, while for Bayern it will show they are capable of attracting the very best talent.

Bundesliga chief executive Marc Lenz said: “Winning the Ballon d’Or is a tremendous recognition of Harry Kane’s extraordinary performances - and also a great success for Bayern and the Bundesliga.

“Harry is not only one of the outstanding players of his generation; he combines sporting excellence with tremendous professionalism, commitment and respect for the game. He gives everything for his team and inspires fans around the world.

“He is a fantastic role model for young players and an outstanding ambassador for the Bundesliga.

“This achievement also underlines that the Bundesliga is a stage where the very best players in the world perform at the highest level.”

Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen added: “For a player from a German club to win the Ballon d’Or for the first time in 30 years is a strong signal for the Bundesliga. Harry is one of the great personalities of world football and a role model to all, far beyond the game.”

German journalist Raphael Honigstein said on BBC Radio 5 live that Kane’s impact at Bayern has been significant.

“He’s made a huge difference. There’s the goals but beyond that there is the focus on Bayern that has come from him. After four-and-a-half decades Bayern have a player with international recognition the way Kane has it.

“It is big for the team and big for the club because they always crave that international validation, whether it comes through the European Cup or through these individual trophies. It is massive.”

Kane’s win understandably was praised in the German media, with Henning Feindt, Bild editor-in-chief for sport, writing: “He is the biggest star the league could wish for.

“For 30 years [since Matthias Sammer in 1996], no Bundesliga player has won the most coveted trophy in world football. And for 45 years, not a Bayern Munich player has won it [since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]. The message Kane is sending to all the world’s superstars: It’s possible in the Bundesliga too.”

Kane celebrated his Ballon d’Or win by partying into the early hours in London with family and friends, and Bayern are planning to mark his triumph when he returns to Munich.

The club have confirmed Kane will be given “a special welcome” before Wednesday’s DFB Cup match against Magdeburg at the Allianz Arena, as well as honouring him at the Bundesliga top-of-the-table match against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

“This is a proud day for FC Bayern,” club president Herbert Hainer said. “Harry Kane can do it all - and he scores goals, goals and more goals. He now joins a line with Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - that says everything about our history.”

Kane’s Ballon d’Or victory has sparked debate in Spain over the relative importance of individual performances and international success in determining football’s most prestigious individual award.

Some Spanish journalists and commentators believe that winning the World Cup should carry greater weight in the voting, particularly when players have also demonstrated outstanding individual form.

Unsurprisingly, sections of the Spanish press have argued that Lamine Yamal and other members of Spain’s national team had equally compelling claims, given their performances on the international stage.

The debate has also drawn comparisons with 2010, when Lionel Messi won the award ahead of Spain’s World Cup-winning midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

For some Spanish commentators, Kane’s victory raises familiar questions about whether success at major international tournaments receives sufficient recognition in the Ballon d’Or voting process.

El Pais captured the tension between individual achievement and team success, writing: “What would have been a historic double escaped: in London, goals prevailed over titles.”

The newspaper also highlighted Spain’s strong representation at the ceremony, with Spanish players and teams featuring prominently across the awards, eight of which went to Spanish winners.

The result has also attracted criticism from prominent figures in Spanish football. Jose Felix Diaz, editor-in-chief of AS and Spain’s sole journalist voter, revealed that he had expected either Yamal or Kylian Mbappe to win.

His position was reflected in an AS headline: “The Messi-Iniesta controversy returns: Spain’s only voter says Kane doesn’t deserve the Ballon d’Or.”

Former Real Madrid midfielder Guti was similarly critical of the outcome, arguing that Mbappe and Lamine Yamal had stronger claims to the award. He questioned the circumstances surrounding the ceremony, saying: “It’s quite a coincidence that they take the 70th anniversary Ballon d’Or ceremony to London and someone from London wins it.”

Guti also suggested that Kane himself had not expected to win, pointing to his reaction when his name was announced as evidence that he had anticipated Yamal or Mbappe finishing ahead of him.

Nevertheless, opinion in Spain naturally will favour players in their national team and the majority of press acknowledge Kane is a deserving winner.

Milan derby to be shown live on BBC Two

AC Milan are looking to win the derby for the fourth successive time

The first Milan derby of the season takes place on Saturday, 31 October and it will be live on BBC Two.

The match at the San Siro stadium kicks off at 19:45 GMT as AC Milan look to close the gap on leaders Inter, who top Serie A with 22 points, four ahead of their city rivals.

The Derby della Madonnina is one of the biggest fixtures in Italian football.

Milan, managed by former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, are facing an injury crisis for the game with up to eight players missing.

An unbeaten record could go in the match with both sides yet to taste defeat in the league.

Inter have won seven of their eight games so far, drawing the other one, while Milan have five wins and three draws.

Inter may be the team to beat in Serie A so far this season but Milan have the edge in the derby, having won the last three.

In fact, AC Milan are unbeaten in seven consecutive derbies against Inter in all competitions for the first time since the period between November 2002 and April 2005 (10).

Mourinho keeps Clasico midas touch 13 years on as La Liga heats up

Jose Mourinho has done it again.

The Real Madrid manager celebrated Kylian Mbappe’s late winner at Barcelona on Sunday with a trademark knee slide, as he maintained his midas touch over their bitter rivals.

Mourinho has become just the third Real boss to go six El Clasicos in a row without defeat - 13 years after he last led Los Blancos in this fixture.

Four wins and two draws in his past six matches in charge of Real Madrid against Barcelona puts him up there with Miguel Munoz (1962 to 1965) and Vicente del Bosque (2001 to 2003).

It was also just a second victory in eight games against Barcelona for Real, with the return of Mourinho to the fixture haunting the reigning champions.

And more importantly for Mourinho, Mbappe’s double in Real’s 2-1 win ended Barcelona’s nine-game unbeaten domestic run with a crucial Clasico victory at the Camp Nou.

A Real defeat would have allowed Barcelona to establish a commanding nine-point advantage but the result has transformed the top of La Liga, bringing Mourinho’s side to within three points of their rivals.

“In my view, Real Madrid do not play to win at the Camp Nou, Real Madrid play to win La Liga,” Mourinho said.

“We could win with luck, but we won with calmness and with all merit,” he said. “It’s a very strong group. Everyone works very hard. Everyone was ready to win.”

“The credit goes to the players. When you win, the credit goes to the players. But when you lose, the blame falls on you. And that’s why we see coaches being sacked from their positions every week.”

The Portuguese has now won six and lost six El Clasicos across his two stints as manager.

He said: “I’ve learned that I have an extraordinary group, with the quality and mindset to play.”

“In midfield, having a mix of talents gives us more than just having two players with similar characteristics. This mix of talents gives us balance when defending and quality when we go on the attack.”

“We’ve beaten several teams by four or more goals, but this is Barca, and the players put on a great performance. We need to continue like this and don’t go over the moon after this win.”

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said he did not want to give excuses for the defeat but admitted his team lacked fresh legs after a demanding few weeks.

“We missed the freshness,” he said. “It’s not easy for our players. We have to recover well, train well and we have to respond from this defeat.”

“In big games, small things are important and they decide the games and today, it wasn’t on our side.”

“I can see that today we were not fresh and this is what we have to change.”

Real Madrid have now won five consecutive games in all competitions.

End approaching for Carrick but Man Utd fans make clear who they blame

There was an air of inevitability about Michael Carrick’s walk around Old Trafford after the 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.

It is not unusual for Carrick to applaud the Manchester United fans. If anything, his acknowledgements were not as pronounced as they were in Como after the equally devastating loss.

But after eight games without a win, the worst run since 2015-16 and two horrific defeats in a week, the end is approaching for Carrick, with his bosses in serious talks about his future.

However, if anyone in a senior position at the club thinks the issues at Old Trafford will be solved simply by changing the head coach and, more importantly, the fans will be appeased by a new face in the dugout, the reaction from the stands on an awful day on and off the pitch would have very clearly told them otherwise.

On Friday, as he looked back on that 4-1 loss to Como and ahead to Bournemouth, Carrick said: “We’ll be a different team on Sunday. We have to be a different team on Sunday.”

Sadly, they weren’t.

Carrick could not answer if he will still be in charge for next Saturday’s trip to Chelsea. He does not know.

“The responsibility is mine,” he said. “What else can I say really right now? I totally understand the situation. I’m not expecting anything either way. I love this place and I’ll always do what I feel is going to be the best for the football club.”

United’s fans delivered their own verdict on the performance as Carrick disappeared down the tunnel to the dressing room.

After repeatedly singing the former midfielder’s name, as soon as he was out of view they turned on the players. The booing lasted until the last of them, Diogo Dalot, left the pitch. They simply feel they are either not good enough or don’t care enough, or both.

But there was more, much more.

The game was less than a minute old when the first anti-Glazer and anti-Sir Jim Ratcliffe songs were heard.

The Glazer family have been public enemy number one among the United faithful ever since their leveraged takeover in 2005.

The debt they initially landed on the club has now grown to over £1.15bn, according to their latest accounts. The amount it has cost in interest is £852m, according to respected football finance blogger Swiss Ramble. In the last financial year, the interest payment was £37m, an increase from £34m the previous year.

The argument is, that money could have been used far more productively to sign better players.

There had been hope Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, would change that when he struck a deal with the Glazers to become a minority shareholder on Christmas Eve 2023.

Instead, a succession of decisions have led to major questions over his handling of the club.

On the management side, United’s hierarchy eventually backed Erik ten Hag after talking with alternatives in the wake of the shock 2024 FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City, spending over £200m on the likes of Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte.

Last week, Ten Hag told the Athletic the club went back on a promise not to sell homegrown Scotland international Scott McTominay to fund Ugarte’s £50m move from Paris St-Germain. They sacked the Dutchman in October 2024.

After that they persuaded Ruben Amorim to leave Sporting mid-season, when he wanted to wait until the summer.

They stuck with him after an unprecedented 15th-place finish, and again after United lost to League Two Grimsby in the EFL Cup, then sacked him in January when he clashed with director of football Jason Wilcox over playing style.

That led to Carrick’s arrival to the end of the season, which turned into a permanent appointment after he guided the club back into the Champions League after a two-year absence.

A third dismissal in three seasons would not reflect well on anyone.

The ‘Standards’ banner that was held up on the Stretford End showing the images of legendary skippers Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane was there to remind the executives running the club of the history they should be aspiring to.

Wilcox has largely operated behind the scenes but he could not fail to hear the obscenities being sung against him during today’s game, nor the boos as he climbed into the vehicle taking him away from the stadium nearly two hours after the final whistle.

Recruited from a similar role at Southampton following the Ratcliffe takeover and elevated in status following the dismissal of Dan Ashworth, amid the decision to recruit Amorim, the 55-year-old is blamed by many fans for the club’s recent recruitment, even though the budget was set at a much higher level.

Sat next to him at Old Trafford to watch the Bournemouth debacle unfold was chief executive Omar Berrada, who worked with Wilcox at Manchester City.

Having senior figures steeped in City’s recent history was always a potential problem if results didn’t go well. Berrada played no part in the recent Premier League proceedings that found City guilty of multiple breaches of financial rules, but the link is clear, and United’s fans sang about that at Old Trafford as well.

If that wasn’t enough, a ticket touting investigation launched in the summer led to condemnation from all United’s major fan groups. The club argued they were trying to catch touts, while fans felt it was an attempt to drive regular match-goers out in favour of more corporate sales. The club are adamant that is not the case, but the argument is falling on deaf ears.

The same is also true of plans for a new 100,000-capacity stadium. The club conducted a survey which they said showed the majority of respondents were in favour of a new ground. The stadium is likely to cost in excess of £2bn and United spent £63.5m on land for it earlier this year.

Some supporters simply don’t believe those figures. The Stretford End impolitely told Ratcliffe they had no interest in a new stadium as well today.

Carrick may take responsibility for poor results but there is far more than that causing unrest at Manchester United just now.

Isak finally living up to price tag as Liverpool patience rewarded

It has been a long time coming but Alexander Isak might finally be living up to his price tag.

The Sweden striker arrived at Anfield amid huge fanfare in August 2025 when he signed from Newcastle for a British record £125m.

But a combination of a slow start and then suffering a broken leg in December meant his first season at the Reds became something of a nightmare - scoring just four goals in 22 games.

This season has been a different story. Isak’s goal against Brighton on Sunday helped Liverpool to an impressive 2-0 win against the Premier League’s in-form side, taking his tally to six for the campaign already.

The 27-year-old is averaging almost a goal per game and has scored more than half of Liverpool’s Premier League goals this season.

Like last weekend at Brentford, Isak didn’t necessarily set the game alight, but again it was another crucial goal from the Swede. His strike gave Liverpool breathing space against a Brighton team that had 64% possession and actually ended the game with a higher xG than Andoni Iraola’s side.

In the end, Liverpool saw the game out and this was arguably their finest display in the league under Iraola, who secured his first league win at Anfield at the fourth time of asking.

Only Erling Haaland (nine) has scored more Premier League goals this season than Isak and when Liverpool signed him from Newcastle these were the numbers they expected.

During Isak’s struggles in an injury-plagued campaign in 2025-26, the belief inside the club was that this was a long-term signing and any judgement would be reserved for when he was fully fit. Judging by recent performances, that patience is proving to be warranted.

“Today, the performance was really good against a really good team,” Isak said.

“The first half is really what we want to be about - winning balls and the intensity.”

The exciting thing for Iraola and Liverpool is that Isak is nowhere near his best yet, and that should be a cause of worry for the rest of the top flight. It is Arsenal next up in the league.

“Alex [Isak] is threatening, especially if we can get him in those positions and we can provide him good crosses. In this case, it’s a matter of Bradley [Barcola] winning the duel and being faster than the opposition to get us in that position,” said Iraola.

Isak is averaging 0.95 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season.

For Iraola, this was a fourth win in a row since the loss to Manchester City at Anfield a fortnight ago.

The fans who braved the conditions after Storm Boelo were treated to a display where Liverpool were aggressive from the outset and defended really well to keep a Brighton side that scored 15 league goals in their previous four games at bay.

Bar an early chance for Yasin Ayari, which the Swede blazed over, Fabian Hurzeler’s side didn’t have any major chances of note.

Ronald Araujo was again immense and the Liverpool backline kept their fourth clean sheet in eight league games this season.

Interestingly, Liverpool’s possession of 35.6% was their second lowest on record (since 2003-04) in a Premier League home win.

Iraola’s Bournemouth side certainly preferred to have less of the ball and this was a reminder that, with the quality at his disposal going forward, Liverpool are perhaps fine with teams coming to Anfield and having more of the ball, especially if it means the opposition aren’t set up in a low block.

Both Florian Wirtz and Barcola were excellent and Cody Gakpo threatened all afternoon too, with Wirtz unlucky not to be credited for the goal when his strike took a deflection off Pascal Gross and gave Liverpool the lead.

Slowly but surely, his confidence is increasing in a Liverpool shirt and it is clear to see the impact he has on a game.

The German just needs the numbers to improve on his end and Liverpool will hope that he isn’t set for a spell on the sidelines after he was substituted in the second half.

“Unfortunately, he had to leave the pitch with a small twist of the ankle,” said Iraola. “It doesn’t look very big but we are playing every three days so we need to see where he is.”

As for Barcola, there is a style to his play that can energise a crowd and the way he won possession for Isak’s goal felt like it ticked off exactly what Iraola wanted with the high press and sheer desire to win the ball back.

That left Isak to finish instinctively and Barcola imitated Isak’s celebration, just like they did last weekend in west London, as Liverpool moved up to fourth.

Theirs is a combination that cost the Reds a total of £248m but if they can keep on combining and winning games, that will do just fine for Iraola and Liverpool.