Mauricio Pochettino believes Harry Kane deserves to win next month's Ballon d'Or.
Kane enjoyed an extraordinary 2025-26 campaign in which he scored 61 goals across 51 appearances in club football to inspire Bayern Munich to Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Franz Beckenbauer Supercup success.
England captain Kane also scored six times to help his nation reach the World Cup semifinals and subsequently achieve a first ever third-placed finish at the tournament.
Pochettino developed Kane at Tottenham and, in backing his old forward to win the prestigious accolade in London on Oct. 26, he said: "My wish, I hope yes.
"I think he deserves it as the reward for his career and for all what he has done in football.
"I don't know if he is going to be punished for the World Cup or the Champions League because he played in both semifinals.
"Maybe he will be punished, I don't know, but, for me, it's Harry Kane's time.
- Mauricio Pochettino: Strip Chelsea of 2016-17 Premier League title
- USMNT's Poch opens door to England job in future
- Kane, Yamal lead 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist
"It's not clear today who is the number one in the world who should win. In the past, it was more clear.
"I think he deserves it. He deserves it in his career like [Luka] Modric or [Fabio] Cannavaro, [Karim] Benzema. I think if I pick one, then it's Harry Kane."
