Harry Kane’s rise from a series of unremarkable EFL loan spells to becoming the world’s best player has been described by former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood as “a Cinderella story”.
Sherwood handed Kane his first Premier League start in 2014 and believes the striker’s Ballon d’Or victory is the product of a career in which he repeatedly exceeded expectations.
“He keeps breaking records, and I keep thinking, ‘Are we talking about the same kid?’” Sherwood told Sky Sports. “There was always a chance, because he felt like there was no ceiling.”
The Bayern Munich striker, aged 33, is the first English Ballon d’Or winner for 25 years and only the fifth in the award’s history. Michael Owen was the last English recipient, winning in 2001 aged 22, four years after making his senior debut for Liverpool.
Kane’s route was considerably less direct. His senior career began on loan at Leyton Orient in League One, 15 years before his Ballon d’Or success, followed by temporary spells at Millwall, Norwich and Leicester.
“Even when we go back to Michael Owen, he was a superstar as a kid,” said Sherwood, whom Kane thanked during his acceptance speech. “Kane came through the hard way. He was a player who wasn’t universally loved.”
Kane also referred to that struggle on stage, saying: “My journey wasn’t straightforward; I didn’t go straight to the top, I had to experience a lot of loan moves and fight my way to get to where I am now.”
Sherwood believes those spells were crucial rather than failed opportunities. “We never felt like that because we felt that him playing in U21 football was a waste of time,” he said. “They were really good loans, and those loans were the reason why we’ve got a player like that.”
The opportunity that changed Kane’s career
Kane was outside Tottenham’s first-team picture until Andre Villas-Boas was dismissed and Sherwood took charge. In April 2014, Sherwood gave the then-20-year-old his first Premier League start, and Kane scored in a 5-1 home win against Sunderland.
“It’s a sliding doors moment,” Sherwood said. “I managed to give him a stage where he could perform.”
Kane has since scored nearly 550 goals for club and country. He is Tottenham’s record scorer, England’s all-time leading scorer, England’s leading World Cup scorer and the highest-scoring Englishman in Champions League history.
Last season he scored 73 goals in all competitions, including 61 for Bayern – 19 more than any other player in Europe’s big-five leagues. It was the highest seasonal total since Cristiano Ronaldo scored 61 for Real Madrid in 2014/15.
Jamie Carragher believes Kane’s £100m move from Tottenham to Bayern in summer 2023 was essential to his global recognition.
“There’s no way Harry Kane could’ve won the Ballon d’Or if he was playing for Tottenham,” Carragher told Sky Sports.
At Bayern, Kane has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and a German Cup, after leaving Tottenham without a trophy despite three Premier League Golden Boots and becoming the club’s leading scorer.
“He wanted to go to a team that could win, and he picked Bayern,” said Sherwood. “It’s been a good choice.”
Kane is also the fastest player to 100 Bundesliga goals, the quickest to 100 goal contributions and the player with the most goals in his first 100 Bundesliga appearances. His passing was highlighted in Bayern’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Arsenal, when he set up Alphonso Davies from inside the centre circle. At Tottenham, he won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award in 2020/21.
Carragher still ranks Bobby Charlton as England’s greatest player because he won the World Cup and European Cup with Manchester United.
Kane, who needs one cap to become England’s most-capped player, is 47 goals behind Alan Shearer’s Premier League record of 260. Sherwood believes he could eventually return to Tottenham, but only if the club can convince him they are capable of winning.
Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham could be possible destinations, while Chelsea and Arsenal are unlikely because of his Tottenham connection.
