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Harry Kane's hat-trick for Bayern Munich in the cup final: VfB striker Deniz Undav would still give the Ballon d'Or to someone else

Following his gala performance in the cup final, Harry Kane has been showered with praise. Bayern Munich's players are not the only ones running out of superlatives, and it's not just about his hat-trick.

"I think I'm seeing double," declared the banner above the Stuttgart section's eye-catching choreography. Below it, the iconic Swabian characters "Aeffle" and "Pferdle" were depicted as if they had one too many cocktails and were already seeing double. On the opposite side, the duo posed with last year's DFB Cup, but the suggestion that VfB would defend their title proved wide of the mark after a 0-3 defeat to FC Bayern Munich. Instead, the pair mainly watched Harry Kane celebrate—not twice, but three times over!

With his hat-trick—the fourth in a cup final after Uwe Seeler (Hamburger SV, 1963), Roland Wohlfarth (FC Bayern, 1986) and Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, 2012)—the Englishman took his goal tally for the season to an incredible 61. Even before the final, it was clear that Kane would set a new personal best; his 68 goals and assists easily surpass his 2023/24 debut season at Bayern by 12 and his previous Spurs peak (2017/18) by 22. He also joined an exclusive club by scoring in every round of the cup, a feat previously managed only by Dieter Müller (1. FC Köln, 1976/77) and Dirk Kurtenbach (Stuttgarter Kickers, 1986/87).
"That was definitely one of the best nights of my career," Kane said afterwards. He admitted he had been "incredibly nervous" before the match. "I wanted to make the team proud, I wanted to make the fans proud. And then to score a hat-trick in a final – it's just a very special game and a very special feeling. I'm extremely proud of that. It's been a long, tough season, so to finish it like this is perfect."
His haul was not the only talking point: both Vincent Kompany and Sebastian Hoeneß were impressed by a late, seemingly pre-arranged intervention deep in stoppage time, after the tie had long been settled. Unusually, the club then held two separate press conferences rather than the usual single briefing.

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Harry Kane impresses with two key moments beyond his hat-trick
When asked for further superlatives to describe the 32-year-old, Kompany replied: "What sticks in my mind most of all is that sliding tackle at the corner flag. That total dedication to the team. It's hard to explain. But at the end of the day, you always have to ask yourself whether he scored a goal today. Of course he scored three; his game is so complete," said Kompany, praising Kane's pressing and defensive work-rate. "When it comes to Harry, it's also about character – and he has the character for these big games and crucial moments."
Hoeneß added: "It's not just that he scored three goals; in the 96th minute he also made a crucial block in his own box when the score was already 3-0. The whole package is simply world-class, top-class. He made the difference today; it's impossible to keep him under control. You have to admire what he achieves."
Sporting director Max Eberl agreed, highlighting a separate defensive intervention: "What Harry does is extraordinary. Not just because he scores goals, but because of his presence on the pitch. When the score was 1–0, he tackled on our left to stop a cross." That's just what Harry Kane does." It is no secret that Kane is more than a goalscorer for the German record champions. Under Kompany, he has honed his playmaking, often dropping deep to initiate attacks. His defensive work is nothing new, either.
Despite these exploits, Kane appears far from his personal peak. Bayern have no intention of letting him leave, despite repeated transfer speculation fuelled by his well-known release clauses. Eberl stressed that talks to extend his contract, which runs until 2027, are already planned. "We have said that we will talk after the season and, in the best-case scenario, make progress before the World Cup," he said. No precise timetable has been set for those negotiations.
Harry Kane: Uli Hoeneß makes a bold statement – Deniz Undav jokes
Bayern chairman Uli Hoeneß told ARD, "This is the best transfer we've ever made." Given Munich's history of marquee signings, that's a bold declaration and a clear commitment. A sale is therefore off the table.
"Of course not. FC Bayern is a club that buys players, not one that sells them," Hoeneß stated, also addressing the rumour that FC Barcelona are targeting Kane as a possible successor to Robert Lewandowski, whose contract will not be renewed. "Besides, Barcelona doesn't have any money. That's how it all starts." Kane, for his part, was flattered by Hoeneß's praise. "It's lovely to hear something like that, of course. Many great players have played for this club, so I feel honoured. It was a big step for me and my family. I feel like I'm part of the club's history."
Amid the superlatives, sporting director Max Eberl added that Kane deserves the Ballon d'Or, insisting he has "every right to win" even without a Champions League crown. Ironically, teammate Michael Olise could challenge him: the Frenchman ended the campaign with a remarkable 53 goal contributions.
Thanks to his slightly more spectacular style of play, the 24-year-old also has the edge over Deniz Undav. "I have to say, I'd actually go for Olise," said the VfB striker. Both deserve it, added the international, joking about Kane before he too couldn't stop gushing: "I'd love to be that free sometimes. You can't give him an inch of space. He has a top-class finish with both feet. He has that special instinct for it and is always where the goals are. The passes he plays to Olise or Diaz are also outstanding. (...) That's where you see what world-class is."
The World Cup could still be decisive: both Kane with England and Olise with France remain in contention, provided they reproduce their Bayern form and push the superlative debate to new heights.