Did Kane's Ballon d'Or win become a source of hope for the Bundesliga?

Former German captain Philipp Lahm assessed what Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or win means for German football. According to Lahm, the fact that Kane and Michael Olise come from another country helped them. Lahm said it is very difficult for a German player who plays in the Bundesliga to win the award.

The data supports this view. The last Ballon d'Or winner who played in the Bundesliga and was German was Matthias Sammer of Borussia Dortmund in 1996. Since then, a German player has finished in the top three only three times, and the most recent was Manuel Neuer in 2014. Kane is the seventh Bundesliga player to finish in the top three since Sammer's win.

Lahm also said that Bayern Munich's league dominance is part of the problem. Bayern have lost the league only once since the 2012-13 season. Bayern board member Rouven Kasper argued that the club makes up around 50 percent of the Bundesliga's global brand value. Citing the strong presence of Premier League clubs on pre-season tours, Kasper said the Bundesliga should take similar steps.

Sporting director Christoph Freund argued that winning the title with Bayern is possible. Lahm, however, pointed to Florian Wirtz's move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool in 2025 as an example. According to Lahm, interest in England is much greater, so it is harder for a German player who stays in the Bundesliga to gain visibility.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund are level on points with Bayern after eight matches. Dortmund drew 2-2 in the Klassiker, and they are showing a strong performance in this season's title race.