“Better than Messi”, “Kane for Ballon d'Or” – Fans left stunned as Harry Kane scores incredible goal from inside his own half
Ballon d'Or nominee Harry Kane spearheaded Bayern Munich's 8-0 demolition of Darmstadt with a hat-trick, amidst talk about Lionel Messi winning the award. One of these three goals was a jaw-dropping, halfway-line wonder strike that left fans stunned.
Since his Bundesliga debut, Kane has been a man on fire, accumulating a staggering 12 goals in just nine appearances. This torrent of goals has notably shown his adaptability, having just left the Premier League, where he built his career.
After a chaotic first half punctuated by three red cards, he broke the deadlock and then proceeded to net twice more, leaving no room for arguments about his quality.
Bayern's victory was a team effort, with Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala each bagging a brace and Thomas Muller also chipping in on the scoreboard.
Yet it was Kane's audacious long-range goal that stole the headlines. Spotting Darmstadt's Marcel Schuhen off his line, he didn't hesitate. Seizing on a turnover in Bayern's half, the English marksman launched a missile over Schuhen's head, triggering awe among the fans.
Many of them took to Twitter to praise the English captain, with one fan claiming the forward was:
"Better than Messi"
Another fan began a campaign, tweeting:
"Kane for Ballon d'Or"
Here is a selection of their tweets:
Whether he'll actually rival Lionel Messi for football's most prestigious individual accolade remains to be seen. However, as far as Germany and the Bundesliga are concerned, he has been beyond impressive.
Lionel Messi's looming 8th Ballon d'Or casts shadow over Harry Kane's brilliance
The opulent Theatre du Chatelet in Paris is set to host the Ballon d'Or ceremony on October 30, and it is shaping up to be a crowning moment for Lionel Messi. The Argentine legend led his country to their first World Cup win in decades last year.
But even as La Pulga is poised to nab his eighth Golden Orb, goalscorers like the Bundesliga sharpshooter are unlikely to snag the award these days. The Argentine's international triumphs amplify his claim to the award, yet the English captain's stats are nothing to scoff at.
He's having an outstanding season, with 14 goals and 7 assists in 13 games. Last season, the English striker found the net 32 times and contributed 5 assists over 50 appearances.
However, because he is lacking in trophies, the former Tottenham striker's current odds for the Ballon d'Or are quite low.
The likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, who have both tasted silverware recently, are considered likelier candidates.