Harry Kane made another strong argument for the Ballon d'Or with a performance that helped Bayern Munich draw 2-2 with Arsenal in the Champions League. He assisted Alphonso Davies and scored from the penalty spot, underlining why he remains central to Bayern's biggest nights.
Kane was named on the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist in September, and this was the kind of display that strengthens his case. The winner will be announced on Monday after a vote by 100 journalists, and Kane's showing on Wednesday ensured he stayed in the conversation.
Why Kane's performance mattered
The key point is not just that Kane scored. It is that he influenced the game in more than one way, helping Bayern equalise before putting them ahead from the penalty spot. In a Champions League tie of this size, that kind of all-round contribution carries weight.
The broader case for Kane is also clear. He could become the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the Ballon d'Or, and this was the sort of high-profile performance that voters notice.
Onuoha: Kane has Bayern's trust
Nedum Onuoha said Kane's value under Vincent Kompany goes beyond the obvious goalscoring work.
"Under Vincent Kompany, he has been given a level of trust that he has probably never had before under any other manager," Onuoha said.
That trust was visible in the way Kane operated throughout the match. Onuoha also pointed to the unusual sight of the Bayern forward dropping so deep and even taking a goal-kick in open play.
"For all the things we've seen him do and the positions we've seen him roam into, nobody has seen him take a goal-kick before," he said.
"But even someone like Manuel Neuer, who is his senior and has been at Bayern for a large part of his career, sees Harry Kane put the ball down and thinks, 'OK, sure'. He lets Harry go for it because he thinks whatever he sees is going to be correct."
The bigger Ballon d'Or picture
That freedom helps explain why Kane has been so effective at Bayern. He is not simply finishing chances; he is helping connect the team and create them too. Onuoha said that even if seeing a number nine so deep is unusual, it is part of what makes Kane so useful for Bayern.
"For him to be taking a goal-kick is not something you may want to see very often. You don't necessarily want your number nine to be THAT deep, but the nature of his game when he is playing for Bayern is to roam, and today it was a huge benefit to the team," he said.
For Kane, the draw with Arsenal did not just add another Champions League performance to the record. It added another layer to his Ballon d'Or argument, with the combination of a goal, an assist and influence across the pitch making his case harder to ignore.
