Teddy Sheringham Backs Rodri Over Kane for Ballon d’Or
Teddy Sheringham has nailed his colours to the Ballon d’Or mast – and they’re not Harry Kane’s.
Despite Kane’s record-shredding first season at FC Bayern Munich, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker believes another man should be leading the race for football’s most prestigious individual prize. For Sheringham, the World Cup tips the scales, and it tips them firmly in Rodri’s favour.
Sheringham backs Rodri over Kane
Kane, 33, has just delivered one of the most devastating goalscoring campaigns of his career. Sixty-one goals in all competitions. Thirty-six of them in just 31 Bundesliga matches as Bayern wrapped up a second straight league title. He transformed Bayern’s attack and helped turn England into one of the most feared sides at the World Cup, where they battled their way to a bronze medal after beating France in the third-place match.
That sort of season usually screams Ballon d’Or.
Sheringham isn’t convinced.
“There’s not an obvious favorite for the Ballon d’Or, but I would think you have to be winning Champions Leagues, World Cups, or Euros whenever they’re about to be in that conversation. I’m sure Kane will be in the top five, no doubt about that, but I can’t see him winning it,” Sheringham told Heavy Sports via BetVictor Online Casino.
Then came the name he feels should be out in front.
“I think someone like Rodri has been spoken of very highly and was exceptional again in the World Cup every time he was on the football pitch,” he said.
For Sheringham, it’s not just about performances. It’s about medals.
“[Rodri] took his teams to glory as well, so he would be my pick. But Kane has definitely had a fantastic season as well, and he’s in and around it again.”
The message is clear: Kane belongs at the top table, but Sheringham sees Rodri walking away with the trophy.
“I can see Kane playing into his 40s”
If Sheringham doesn’t see Kane lifting the Ballon d’Or this year, he certainly doesn’t see his story ending any time soon.
The ex-England forward, who himself played until the age of 42, believes Kane has the game and the conditioning to follow a similar path.
“I can see Kane playing into his 40s,” Sheringham said. “He had a few injuries when he was around 26 or 27, when he had those ankle problems. Everyone was looking at him and wondering, ‘Has he got glass ankles?’ and whether he’d be okay in the long run.”
Those doubts, in Sheringham’s eyes, have been buried.
“But he’s obviously had them mended and looked at properly for his longevity, and he’s enjoying that now. He looks fit and strong, and long may that continue.”
From questions over “glass ankles” to a 61-goal season in Germany, Kane has turned a perceived weakness into a footnote.
Why leave Bayern?
The modern superstar’s late-career roadmap often points towards Saudi Arabia or MLS. Big contracts, slower pace, a final payday.
Sheringham doesn’t see Kane following that script.
“He’s playing his best football, scoring 60 goals in a season last year, you can’t get much better than that,” he said. “Everyone is focused on providing for the main striker, and that’s what it’s all about – everyone’s doing their job to let the striker finish things off.”
From Sheringham’s perspective, Kane has found the perfect ecosystem at Bayern: elite service, elite competition, elite output.
“From Harry’s point of view, there’s no reason to leave. I can’t see him going to Saudi Arabia; it’s just not in his makeup. Things may change, of course,” Sheringham added.
Then he underlined the core of Kane’s mentality.
“At this moment in time, I think he likes pitting himself against the best in the world, and there’s no better place to do that than Bayern.”
So while the Ballon d’Or debate rages on and Rodri gets Sheringham’s vote, Kane’s future feels set on a different track: chasing titles in Europe, testing himself at the very top, and, if Sheringham is right, doing it all well into his 40s.
