2 min readOct 27, 2026 08:48 PM ISTIndian cricketer Virat Kohli with English footballer Harry Kane. (Instagram)Virat Kohli has penned a warm tribute to Harry Kane after the England captain and Bayern Munich striker won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, calling him a friend and praising the resilience and honesty with which he has carried himself through his career.“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,” Kohli wrote on X.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 ❤️ @HKane— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 27, 2026Bayern Munich’s official account responded to Kohli’s post with a tribute of its own, replying: “From one legend to another.”Kane became the first English player in 25 years to win the Ballon d’Or, finishing as Europe’s top scorer last season with 73 goals for club and country. He led Bayern to a domestic double, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, ending the club’s five-year drought in the latter competition.Kane scored a hat-trick in the German Cup final and led Bayern to the Champions League semi-finals. At the World Cup, he scored six times to pass Gary Lineker as England’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament and entered the top five highest goalscorers in World Cup history. England lost to Argentina in the semi-finals but beat Kylian Mbappe’s France for third place, their best World Cup finish in 60 years.Kane is also the first Bayern player since 1981, and the fourth overall, to win the award. He is the first non-German Bayern player to do so, with the others being Gerd Muller (1970), Franz Beckenbauer (1972, 1976) and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1980, 1981).© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdStay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogJailer 2 worldwide box office collection day 12 Update: Rajinikanth-starrer grosses Rs 733 cr, earns Rs 410 cr in India15 minutes agoIsrael Election 2026 LIVE Updates: Voter turnout at 44.9%, highest in decades as Netanyahu claims election stealing16 minutes agoCyclone Arnab Tracker Live Updates: Odisha, Andhra Pradesh shut schools, ban fishing as storm approaches eastern coast17 minutes agoUS-Iran War Live Updates: Houthis say they repelled advance by Saudi-backed forces near Bab el-Mandeb Strait27 minutes agoMLC Election Results 2026 Live Updates: Setback for Congress in Karnataka, BJP-JD(S) candidate wins Bengaluru30 minutes agoAdvertisement