'You deserve this more than anything' - Harry Kane's wife Kate shares emotional Instagram tribute after Ballon d'Or triumph
Harry Kane's wife Kate has shared an emotional Instagram tribute to the England captain after he was crowned the world's best player at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Monday night. Kate told her husband he deserves the award "more than anything", while the Bayern Munich striker had already used his acceptance speech to thank his childhood sweetheart and their four children.
Kate Kane shares emotional tribute after Ballon d'Or win
Kane was crowned the winner of the Ballon d'Or at the London Palladium on Monday night, seeing off competition from Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal after scoring 73 goals for club and country last season. Kate was by his side at the ceremony and, according to the Daily Mail, the couple then celebrated into the night with friends and family at an afterparty at Cirque le Soir in Soho.
Now that the dust has settled, Kate has shared a heartfelt message with her 478,000 followers on Instagram, writing: "Words can't even describe how proud I am of you. Your hard work, dedication and resilience are something I'm in awe of every single day. Every setback you've faced, you've come back stronger. I'm so glad the world gets to see your incredible talent, dedication and all the hard work you've put in to get here. You deserve this more than anything, and I couldn't be prouder to stand by your side and watch you shine. Here's to you and all that's yet to come!"
Kane thanks his wife in Ballon d'Or speech
Kane had already made sure to pay tribute to Kate, his childhood sweetheart, in his acceptance speech on Monday. The couple, who are both from Walthamstow, married in 2019, two years after he proposed in the Bahamas, and shared a kiss on the night after he picked up both the Ballon d'Or and the striker award.
"To my wife, Kate, my best friend," Kane said. "We've been through ups and downs for sure. You're my biggest supporter. I actually felt like you wanted this more than me myself. The anxious wait for us to find out, I know it's been horrible for you, here it is - we've done it! You always want the best for me, you sacrifice yourself to help me achieve my dreams, and I know they're your dreams as well, so it wouldn't be possible without you. This is a trophy that we celebrate, not me. This is me and you, it's all the family, all our close-knit team, so I just want to say thank you, I love you. Can't wait to enjoy this and celebrate tonight for sure. Love you."
Kane dedicates Ballon d'Or to his four children
The couple have four children, daughters Ivy and Vivienne and sons Louis and Henry, and have settled in Bavaria since Kane joined Bayern from Tottenham. Kate, a sports science graduate and professional fitness coach, has been a constant presence by his side, and Kane also spoke directly to the children during his speech.
"My kids sat home watching, it's definitely past your bedtime, especially as we're [the ceremony] a little later than we hoped," he said. "So to Ivy, Vivienne, Louis and Henry. You're the reason I do this. I don't think you'll fully maybe appreciate bringing this trophy home. I'll bring a few others home, but this one is a special one, so I can't wait to see you and celebrate with you. I want to set a good example being a father but also being a professional and what it means to work hard, what it means to believe in yourself. I love you very much."
What next for Kane after Ballon d'Or glory?
Kane's 61 goals for Bayern last season made him the first player to reach that tally in a single campaign since Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid in 2014-15, as he won the double and led England to third place at the World Cup.
With the celebrations over, he will now return to Bavaria aiming to help Bayern defend that double and deliver on Kate's toast to "all that's yet to come".
