Jamal Musiala marked his return to the biggest stage in spectacular fashion as Bayern Munich opened their Champions League campaign with a dominant 5-0 victory over FK Bodo/Glimt. The young playmaker, who has endured a difficult period away from the pitch, proved he is back to his best by finding the net in his first start of the season.
Michael Olise has openly disagreed with Thierry Henry's recent comments regarding the best player in world football. While the France legend claimed Olise outperformed his team-mate last year, the Bayern Munich winger firmly rejected that notion, throwing his full support behind Harry Kane to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or ahead of Kylian Mbappé after a sensational campaign.
Liam Delap has been billed as the “next Harry Kane” for some time, but former England striker Andy Cole has told GOAL why he is “not sure” that the £50 million ($68m) Nottingham Forest new boy can become the heir to that throne. The Three Lions are crying out for a suitable successor to their record-shattering captain to step up, with an iconic No.9 shirt set to become available at some point in the not too distant future.
Harry Kane has his “hat in the ring” when it comes to Ballon d’Or recognition, ex-England striker Andy Cole has told GOAL, but the prolific Bayern Munich striker is not considered to be a guaranteed pick for Golden Ball glory in 2026. The Three Lions captain does figure on the list of nominees, but faces fierce competition from the likes of Rodri, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Michael Olise and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders again in 2026.
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has addressed the growing speculation surrounding Michael Olise's future at the Allianz Arena. Despite the Frenchman's meteoric rise in the Bundesliga, the club chief admitted that guarantees are difficult to provide in the modern transfer market.
Harry Kane has admitted he is "amazed" to find himself outscoring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo as he cements his status as the frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or. The Bayern Munich striker enjoyed a historic individual campaign that saw him surpass legendary benchmarks, and he is now looking toward the longevity of Lionel Messi to extend his peak years at the highest level.
Vincent Kompany has moved to defend his decision to leave Harry Kane and Michael Olise on the bench during Bayern Munich's frustrating 0-0 draw against Schalke. The stalemate in Gelsenkirchen proved costly for the German giants, as it brought an end to an incredible scoring streak that had spanned over a year of competitive action.
Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz has thrown his support behind Harry Kane to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The Colombian international praised his formidable attacking partner after the pair helped Vincent Kompany's side avoid a shock defeat in the DFB-Pokal. Following a spectacular individual campaign, Kane is now being tipped for football's ultimate individual prize.
Harry Kane has come close to matching Robert Lewandowski’s single season Bundesliga goal record, but Dietmar Hamann has explained to GOAL why making history on that front may be a case of Mission Impossible for Bayern Munich’s prolific striker. The England international has reached 36 efforts on a couple of occasions, but is still some way short of a remarkable milestone.
Harry Kane has weighed in on the European landscape, identifying Paris Saint-Germain as the frontrunners for the upcoming Champions League campaign. The Bayern Munich striker spoke ahead of the highly anticipated league phase draw, where the continent's elite clubs will discover their initial path to glory.
Aston Villa wonderkid Brian Madjo has been advised to use Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as the perfect role model, with Emile Heskey telling GOAL why the 17-year-old striker could end up being England’s long-term successor to Harry Kane in their No.9 berth. Such a standing remains a long way off for now, but there is plenty of potential to be unlocked.
Alan Shearer may need to watch out, with Emile Heskey telling GOAL that Harry Kane could line up a Premier League return for 2028 - after extending his contract at Bayern Munich - with more records to be broken in that division. A history-making spell at Tottenham for the prolific striker came to a close in 2023, but does he have unfinished business in English football?
Harry Kane has added another massive trophy to his shelf after the Bayern Munich star won Germany's player of the year award for 2026. The England international beat his teammate Michael Olise in the annual poll run by Kicker magazine that involved hundreds of members of the German sports journalists association.