“You deserve every bit of this award”: Virat Kohli pens heartfelt message for Harry Kane after Ballon d’Or 2026 triumph

Virat Kohli congratulated Harry Kane after the England captain won the Ballon d’Or 2026. The Indian cricketer shared a heartfelt message on social media, celebrating Kane’s achievement and praising the hard work behind his success.

Addressing Kane as his “friend”, Kohli praised the Bayern Munich striker for his resilience, honesty and determination throughout his football career. He also extended his best wishes to Kane and his family, expressing happiness at the striker’s achievement.

Kane’s Ballon d’Or 2026 win marks a historic moment for English football. He became the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the prestigious award. The Bayern Munich striker enjoyed an outstanding season, scoring 73 goals for club and country and setting new scoring records in Germany.

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Virat Kohli’s heartfelt message for Harry Kane after his Ballon d’Or 2026 win

Virat Kohli shared a heartfelt message for Harry Kane after the England captain won the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or. Kane had an outstanding season with Bayern Munich and became the first English player since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the prestigious award. He finished ahead of several top players, including Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, to claim the honour.

Kane enjoyed a brilliant season, scoring 73 goals and providing eight assists for club and country. His performances also helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup. The Ballon d’Or win marked a major achievement for the striker, who has been regarded as one of the best players in world football for several years.

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Kohli’s message highlighted the mutual respect between the two sporting stars. The Indian cricketer has established himself as one of the leading batters of his generation, while Kane has built a reputation as one of football’s most prolific strikers. Their public interactions have also caught the attention of fans, who enjoy seeing two of the biggest names in cricket and football share their admiration for each other.

What Kohli said: “Harry, my friend, you deserve every bit of this award”

Virat Kohli praised Harry Kane after the England captain won the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Sharing a heartfelt message on his official X account, Kohli addressed Kane as his friend and wrote, “Harry my friend, you deserve every bit of this award for your resilience, hard work and honesty with which you’ve carried yourself through all these years playing football at the top. Really happy for you. God bless you and your family. They must all be very proud of you as you would be of your own journey. My best wishes always. Congratulations.”

Kohli will next be in action in India’s five-match ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled from November 4 to 15, 2026. He recently scored 168 runs in three matches at an average of 84 and a strike rate of 155.55. His performance included an unbeaten 139 off 88 balls in the opening ODI in Thiruvananthapuram, helping India secure a comfortable eight-wicket victory.

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During that innings, Kohli crossed 15,000 runs in ODIs, becoming only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the milestone. He also scored his 55th ODI century, adding another achievement to his remarkable career. Kohli will look to continue his strong form in the upcoming series against New Zealand.

Why the message went viral: A Kohli–Kane friendship dating back to 2016

Virat Kohli and Harry Kane’s friendship dates back to 2016, when the England striker praised the Indian batter after his match-winning performance against Australia in the T20 World Cup. Kohli scored an unbeaten 82 off 51 balls to help India win the match, and Kane congratulated him on social media.

The two sporting stars later met at Lord’s in London in May 2019. They shared photographs and exchanged messages, showing their mutual respect for each other and their achievements in cricket and football.

Since then, their connection has continued to attract attention from fans of both sports. Kohli’s latest message congratulating Kane on his Ballon d’Or win has brought their friendship back into the spotlight. His words also highlighted the respect they share for each other’s hard work, dedication and success at the highest level.