Harry Kane’s wife has delivered an emotional tribute to her husband after the Bayern Munich and England striker’s remarkable Ballon d’Or triumph.
Kane was named the world’s best footballer on Monday night, beating competition from Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe to claim the most prestigious individual honour in the sport.
Kate, Kane’s childhood sweetheart, stood alongside him at the star-studded ceremony in London before joining friends and family at the afterparty at Cirque le Soir in Soho, where they celebrated late into the night.
Following the 33-year-old England and Bayern Munich star’s outstanding achievement, Kate shared a heartfelt message with her 478,000 Instagram followers.
She wrote: ‘Words can’t even describe how proud I am of you. Your hard work, dedication and resilience are something I’m in awe of every single day.
‘Every setback you’ve faced, you’ve come back stronger. I’m so glad the world gets to see your incredible talent, dedication and all the hard work you’ve put in to get here.
Kate Kane poses with the striker award as her husband holds the Ballon d’Or after collecting both prizes at Monday night’s ceremony
‘You deserve this more than anything, and I couldn’t be prouder to stand by your side and watch you shine. Here’s to you and all that’s yet to come!’
Kane shared a tender kiss with his wife during one of the evening’s most touching moments. The couple have four children and have made their home in Bavaria since Kane moved to Bayern Munich from Tottenham.
He also took time during the celebrations to recognise Kate, whom he married in 2019 after proposing in the Bahamas two years earlier.
Kane said: ‘To my wife, Kate, my best friend. We’ve been through ups and downs for sure. You’re my biggest supporter. I actually felt like you wanted this more than me myself.
‘The anxious wait for us to find out, I know it’s been horrible for you, here it is – we’ve done it!
‘You always want the best for me, you sacrifice yourself to help me achieve my dreams, and I know they’re your dreams as well, so it wouldn’t be possible without you.
‘This is a trophy that we celebrate, not me. This is me and you, it’s all the family, all our close-knit team, so I just want to say thank you, I love you.
Kane shared a kiss with his wife Kate after winning the striker award (left) and Ballon d’Or (right) on Monday night
‘Can’t wait to enjoy this and celebrate tonight for sure. Love you.’
The couple are parents to two daughters, Ivy and Vivienne, and two sons, Louis and Henry.
Kane also mentioned his children during his acceptance speech at the glamorous ceremony at the London Palladium.
‘My kids sat home watching, it’s definitely past your bedtime, especially as we’re [the ceremony] a little later than we hoped,’ he said. ‘So to Ivy, Vivienne, Louis and Henry. You’re the reason I do this.
‘I don’t think you’ll fully maybe appreciate bringing this trophy home. I’ll bring a few others home, but this one is a special one, so I can’t wait to see you and celebrate with you.
‘I want to set a good example being a father but also being a professional and what it means to work hard, what it means to believe in yourself. I love you very much.’
Both Kane and Kate grew up in Walthamstow, with Kate supporting her husband throughout his career.
She has a degree in sports science and works as a professional fitness coach, while her social media audience continues to grow towards half a million followers.
The couple have continued to flourish in Germany. During a season in which Kane helped Bayern Munich win the double and led England to a third-place finish at the World Cup, he scored 73 goals.
His 61 goals for Bayern Munich made Kane the first player to reach that figure in a single season since Cristiano Ronaldo scored 61 for Real Madrid in 2014-15.
That figure was 19 goals more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. Including his 12 goals for England, Kane finished with 73, while Mbappe ended the campaign with 58 and Yamal with 25.
Once assists were included, Kane’s total number of goal involvements for the season rose to an extraordinary 81.
His combined tally of 73 goals, including 12 for England, put him 19 clear of every other player across Europe’s top five leagues. Mbappe finished on 58, while Yamal recorded 25.
