Ballon d'Or 2024: Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe win Gerd Muller Trophy
Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe were awarded the Gerd Muller Trophy at the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony for their impressive goal-scoring feats in the previous season. Mbappe and Kane both found the back of the net 52 times in the 2023-24 season to etch their names in the record books.
The players were mirror images of each other in the 2023-24 season, with the Frenchman playing in his final season with Paris Saint-Germain, while his English counterpart was playing in his maiden season with Bayern Munich.
Speaking after his Gerd Muller Trophy win, Harry Kane said (via The Athletic):
"It was a new chapter for me. Going to Germany, taking my family with me was a new experience, I didn't know what to expect. To get off to the start I did, credit to my teammates. I went along for the ride and we had a good season."
The Englishman added:
"A lot of hard work, self-belief (to be a great striker). As a striker you have to believe. You have to believe the ball is going to fall your way. No matter how old you are, you have to keep pushing the boundaries, keep pushing the limits and see how far you can go. I can always work on my game every year, whether it is left foot or right foot finishing, there's always something to work on."
Kylian Mbappe did not provide a statement after claiming the award. He and his Real Madrid associates were absent from the ceremony after reports emerged that Rodri would win the Ballon d'Or over Vinicius Jr.
"I’ve had great seasons in the past but not won a team trophy at the end of it": When Harry Kane talked about what he needs to do to claim the Ballon d'Or
Back in February, Harry Kane had stated that he needs to win more team trophies to stand a chance of claiming the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for himself.
The English striker is one of the most lethal finishers in modern football, bagging 366 club goals and 68 national team strikes in 671 professional games despite never winning a team trophy. The Englishman addressed his efforts and the likelihood of claiming the prestigious Golden Ball in an interview with the Guardian (via GOAL). He said:
“I’ve had great seasons in the past but not won a team trophy at the end of it, so you’re never really going to be considered for those Ballon d’Ors and individual awards. It comes down to what you achieve as a team. You have to be able to help your team achieve those things. For us, the Bundesliga and Champions League and of course the Euros here in the summer, only by winning them as a team are you going to achieve those individual awards.”
Despite his impressive goal return for Bayern Munich since he arrived last summer (59 goals and 18 assists in 57 games), he remains without any silverware. Harry Kane will hope to lead the Bavarian giants to domestic glory in the current campaign and make his claim for the Ballon d'Or next year.