Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has made history by becoming the first English player to be named Germany's footballer of the year, as voted by the Association of German Sports Journalists in their 2026 poll.
Kicker magazine, which organises the annual awards, announced that Kane received 272 votes from the 695 members of the association who took part. Bayern teammate Michael Olise finished second with 203 votes, having also been runner-up in 2025 when he trailed Florian Wirtz.
The recognition comes on the back of a remarkable campaign for the England captain, who scored 61 goals across all competitions last season as Bayern secured both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup. The Bavarian giants also progressed to the Champions League semi-finals before their run ended. Kane's influence extended to the international stage as well, where he netted six times to help England reach the World Cup semi-finals, only to fall short against Argentina.
The 33-year-old's honours have continued to stack up. Earlier in the week, Kane collected the 2026 Golden Shoe award for finishing as the leading scorer across Europe's major leagues last season. He was also named England's Footballer of the Year previously.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl praised the striker's exceptional form, struggling to find sufficient words to capture his impact.