Virat Kohli congratulates Harry Kane on 2026 Ballon d’Or win, says ‘you deserve every bit of it’

Harry Kane (left) and Virat Kohli interact at Lord’s in 2019. | Photo Credit: Instagram/@harrykane

India cricket great Virat Kohli congratulated Harry Kane after the English striker won the 2026 Ballon d’Or on Tuesday.

Taking to X, the 37-year-old batter said, “Harry my friend, you deserve every bit of this award for your resilience, hard work and honesty with which you’ve carried yourself through all these years playing football at the top.

“Really happy for you. God bless you and your family. They must all be very proud of you, as you would be of your own journey. My best wishes always. Congratulations.”

The two stars have known each other for a while, with their first recorded public interaction dating back to 2016, when Kane praised Kohli on social media after the latter smashed 82 from 51 balls to inspire India to a six-wicket win over Australia during the 2016 T20 World Cup.

“Virat Kohli is some player! In the high-pressure situations, it shows what type of player you are, and he does it time and time again!” the Bayern Munich star had said.

Three years later, the pair met in person at Lord’s in London in May 2019, where they shared photos and exchanged words of mutual respect.

Kane won the Ballon d’Or after scoring 73 goals across club and country for Bayern Munich and England, beating the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Lionel Messi.

Published on Oct 27, 2026

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