On 26 October 2026, Harry Kane received the Ballon d'Or trophy at the Palladium Theatre in London, becoming the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001.

At 33, the Bayern Munich striker is already a seasoned player, with a career spanning more than 25 years in football. But it wasn’t always like that. Before reaching the top, he was just a lad from east London with a dream: to make a living doing what he did best – scoring goals.

His journey to recognition was far from straightforward. Loaned out by Tottenham to four different clubs to gain experience and with no immediate place in the first-team squad, Kane needed patience, determination and a lot of hard work. His Ballon d'Or win, on his eighth nomination, is a testament to that journey.

But talent and dedication were not his only driving forces. Like so many other players, Kane also grew up inspired by the sport’s greats. And some of them played a special role in his development.

His first idols: Beckham and Ronaldo

David Beckham

The player Kane most often cites as an inspiration from his childhood is David Beckham.

David Beckham enjoyed a 21-year career, marked by six Premier League titles and one Champions League title with Manchester United, as well as one La Liga title with Real Madrid and two MLS Cups with LA Galaxy. For England, he made 115 appearances, featuring in three World Cups and two European Championships.

Nominated for the Ballon d'Or ten times, Beckham achieved his best finish in 1999, when he came second behind Rivaldo.

“Beckham was my big childhood idol.”

In several interviews, Kane has said that he became a fan of the former player whilst watching him play for the England national team: “David Beckham was my big childhood idol. [...] He played with great passion and was a role model both on and off the pitch. I remember watching his matches for England when I was still a young fan, and I’m very grateful that today I’m in a position where I can create memories for other people.” (England Football)

The bond between the two goes beyond mere admiration. Both hailed from Leytonstone in east London, attended Chingford Foundation School and started playing for the same local team, Ridgeway Rovers.

“Seeing Beckham achieve all that made the dream seem a little more possible.”

Seeing someone with such similar roots achieve international success made all the difference to Kane: “Seeing Beckham achieve all that made the dream seem a little more possible. Without him, I might have thought it was too far out of reach or that it would be impossible to get there, with so many people and so many players trying. But seeing what he achieved gave me more confidence that I could get there too. He’d sent a Real Madrid shirt to our old school, so it was amazing to see it on display. I was also able to send one of my England shirts, and now the two are side by side. Growing up seeing Beckham’s shirt hanging there and knowing that he’d been brought up in the same place as me was always a huge motivation.” (England Football)

Whilst still in his early teens, Kane had the chance to meet Beckham during an event to mark the opening of the former player’s academy in London.

Years later, the influence of his former idol also helped inspire one of the most important decisions of his career: leaving the Premier League. After spending virtually his entire career at Tottenham, Kane moved to Bayern Munich in 2023, aged 30.

“Following in Beckham’s footsteps and having a different experience also played a part in my decision to come to Germany.”

The move ultimately paid off with him winning the Ballon d'Or in 2026. And Beckham played his part in that decision: “I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Beckham went to play abroad and, at the time, perhaps I didn’t fully understand why he’d decided to leave the Premier League. But as I gained experience and got to know myself better as a top-level player, I realised that coming to Germany – even though I knew it wasn’t a very common path for English players – was the best decision of my life. Following in his footsteps and experiencing something different was part of that choice.” (TNT Sports)

Ronaldo

Another of Kane’s great idols is the very man responsible for presenting him with the Ballon d'Or trophy in 2026: Ronaldo Nazário.

The striker shone for clubs such as Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, winning titles throughout his career. For the Brazilian national team, he won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups, scored two goals in the 2002 final and finished the tournament as top scorer with eight goals. He also won two Copa América titles and scored 62 goals in 98 appearances for Brazil.

Nominated for the Ballon d'Or nine times – a record amongst Brazilian players which he shares with Neymar – Ronaldo won the award on two occasions: in 1997 and 2002.

“The way Ronaldo moved, finished and scored goals… He was incredible.”

For Kane, what stood out most was the way ‘O Fenômeno’ played and turned chances into goals: “The way he moved, finished and scored goals… He was incredible. I like watching videos on YouTube and things like that. You could spend an hour watching his best moments. He was a striker I admired a lot, just like so many others. He was one of the first players who made me think: ‘Wow, he knows how to score goals. I want to be like that too’. That’s what I wanted for myself. That’s why it’s so important to work on different aspects of the game in training and try to become the best striker I can be.” (Sky Sports)

Examples from the England squad

Michael Owen

Another Ballon d'Or winner who left a lasting impression on Kane as a child was Michael Owen, also an English striker. Owen won the award in 2001 and received five nominations throughout his career.

One of the most prolific strikers in the history of English football, he scored 158 goals in 297 appearances for Liverpool, the club with whom he won the UEFA Cup, the FA Cup and the League Cup in 2001. He later went on to win the Premier League with Manchester United in 2011. For the England national team, he scored 40 goals in 89 matches, as well as featuring in four major international tournaments.

“The 2002 World Cup is probably the tournament I remember most from my childhood, and Owen played a key role in that squad.”

Kane was still a child when Owen scored his famous goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, but he has fond memories of his performances: “I was five years old when Michael Owen scored that goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, so I was already starting to form some memories of that time. But the 2002 World Cup was probably the tournament I remember most, and he played an important role in that squad. It was a shame that injuries hampered his career a little, but the way he burst onto the scene and the goals he scored were incredible.” (England Football)

Steven Gerrard

Kane would also have liked the chance to share the pitch with Steven Gerrard.

Regarded as one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, the midfielder made 710 appearances for the club and won nine major trophies, including the 2005 Champions League, two FA Cups and three League Cups. For the England national team, he made 114 appearances, scored 21 goals and took part in three World Cups and three European Championships.

Gerrard received six Ballon d'Or nominations and achieved his best finish in 2005, when he came third.

“It would have been great to play alongside Gerrard. I’m sure I’d have scored a few more goals!”

Kane makes no secret of how much he would have loved to play alongside his idol: “It’s a shame we never played together. Stevie is one of the best midfielders of all time. I’d been following his career since I was a kid, but I think being in that environment, seeing those players training every day and hearing the England players talk about how he trained, shot and passed, makes you realise just how complete a player he was and how involved he was in every aspect of the game. Stevie is one of the greatest players in England’s history and, without a doubt, one of the best midfielders we’ve ever had. But he’s also amongst the best in the world. It would have been brilliant to play alongside him. I’m sure I’d have scored a few more goals!” (TNT Sports)

Wayne Rooney

Unlike Owen and Gerrard, Kane had the opportunity to play alongside Wayne Rooney.

The striker is Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 253 goals in 559 appearances and 16 trophies for the club, including five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League. Having come through the ranks at Everton, he joined United in 2004 and became one of the Premier League’s leading figures. For the England national team, he made 120 appearances, scored 53 goals and took part in three World Cups and two European Championships.

He received eight Ballon d'Or nominations and was Kane’s first captain in the national team.

“Rooney was very kind to me when I first joined the national team.”

Kane has fond memories of the way Rooney welcomed him on his arrival at the national team and of the lessons he took on board for his own leadership as captain: “He was very kind to me when I first joined the national team. He welcomed me over the phone and explained what it was like to be part of the England squad. I’ve tried to bring a bit of that leadership style into my own captaincy. I’ve always wanted to create a relaxed atmosphere, where everyone could be themselves, feel comfortable talking to anyone, and have the freedom to play and train the way they prefer.” (England Football)

Intelligence and reading the game

Teddy Sheringham

Another name frequently cited by Kane as an inspiration is Teddy Sheringham.

Although he was never nominated for the Ballon d'Or, the striker won three Premier League titles with Manchester United and played a key role in the 1999 treble, scoring the equaliser and providing the assist for the winning goal in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Over the course of a 24-year career, he also played for Millwall, Tottenham, Portsmouth and West Ham, scoring 146 Premier League goals. For the England national team, he made 51 appearances and took part in two World Cups and Euro 1996.

“Sheringham had great vision and knew exactly when to drop back and when to attack the spaces.”

More than the statistics, Kane admired Sheringham’s intelligence on the pitch, especially his ability to read the spaces and choose the right moment for every move: “I loved Teddy. By the time I started getting more involved in football, his career was already drawing to a close, but I watched loads of videos and realised just how clever he was. He had brilliant vision and knew exactly when to drop back and when to exploit the spaces. I think I’m quite similar to him and that we’d have great chemistry on the pitch, knowing when to push forward and when to drop back. I’d have loved to have played alongside him.” (Sky Sports)

A career built on great inspirations

As well as these names, Kane has also mentioned other players as sources of inspiration throughout his career: Alan Shearer, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Jermain Defoe, John Terry and Robbie Keane, amongst others.

Each, in their own way, helped shape the kind of player Kane aspired to become. From Beckham, he drew inspiration to dream bigger; from Ronaldo, a passion for scoring goals; and from the likes of Gerrard, Rooney and Sheringham, examples of intelligence, leadership and dedication.

Today, with the Ballon d'Or in his hands, Kane is no longer just the boy who used to watch his idols on television. He has become an inspiration to the next generation, proving that even the biggest dreams can begin with a young fan who simply believes it is possible to get there.