Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe received the prestigious Ballon d’Or Gerd Muller Trophy for Europe’s top scorers. Kane, England’s captain who moved to Bayern Munich from Tottenham, scored an impressive 44 goals in 45 games in his first season with the German club. Meanwhile, Mbappe netted 44 goals in 48 matches during his final season with Paris St-Germain. However, Real Madrid’s Mbappe did not attend the Paris ceremony, held at the Theatre du Chatelet.
Real Madrid reportedly pulled its entire delegation from the event after learning that forward Vinicius Junior, a favorite for the men’s award, would not win. According to AFP and Spanish news outlets, Real Madrid cited concerns over respect, stating that it would not attend “where it is not respected.”
Accepting his award, Kane thanked Bayern Munich, his teammates, and the staff for their support in helping him reach his scoring milestone. “It’s an honor to take this award from a club legend [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge],” Kane said, reflecting on his transition to Germany and the success of his debut season. When asked by co-host Didier Drogba which area of his game he’d like to improve, Kane humorously admitted, “My speed. Although age might be catching up with me.”
