"The coach will make that clear to me tomorrow on the training pitch": Bayern star Harry Kane raises a smile at awards ceremony

First the Golden Shoe – and then, to top it all off, the Ballon d'Or as well? For England icon Rio Ferdinand, there is no question about it. Harry Kane himself is playing it down and points to Vincent Kompany.

"Only Lionel Messi has ever scored more goals in a season than Harry Kane. You won the Golden Shoe, you were England's top scorer at the World Cup. Who else should win the Ballon d'Or? Who else but Harry?" Ferdinand said in a video tribute in honour of the Bayern star at Wednesday evening's award ceremony for Europe's best goalscorer.

The prestigious award will be presented on 26 October in London. Kane is now seen as the favourite, but he stayed reserved after picking up the honour once again. "Of course it would be fantastic if it happened. But that is not in my power. There will still be a lot of discussion. But in the end, last season I did everything I could do - it was by far my best season," said Bayern's 33-year-old model professional.

Bayern chief Jan-Christian Dreesen also sees it as a clear-cut case: "He is a perfect player. He had an extraordinary season, he has shone on every stage in this world." The striker scored 61 goals in 51 competitive matches for Bayern. Including the national team, the tally rose to 73.

Harry Kane refuses comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo

For Kane, that also serves as motivation for the months ahead. "Hopefully there will be even more next year. As long as you are not getting slower and showing no signs of it, you simply have to keep pushing yourself - and anything is possible. There is always something to improve," he said, before adding with a smile: "The coach will make that clear to me on the training pitch tomorrow as well. Because from his point of view, I am simply being praised too much here."

He did not want to compare himself with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo either: "That is not something I should judge, others have to judge that. For me, Ronaldo and Messi are two of the greatest players of all time. Year after year, they pushed the boundaries."