Harry Kane did not even need to play. The England captain, newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner, was given a guard of honour by his Bayern Munich team-mates before kick-off on Wednesday, then watched from the bench as the German champions cruised past second-tier Magdeburg 6-1 to reach the German Cup last 16. It was an evening that captured Kane’s extraordinary year: honoured like a legend, rested like an asset, and missed not at all.
Harry Kane: The First English Winner Since Owen
Kane’s Ballon d’Or made him the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a drought that had become a standing embarrassment for the country that invented the game. The guard of honour, teammates applauding him onto the pitch, was Bayern’s way of marking it before a cup tie, and Kane has responded to the accompanying knighthood talk with characteristic understatement. Our sports blog coverage has tracked his season of milestones, and this may be the sweetest yet: individual glory, formally recognised by the club that bet on him.
Bayern’s Depth on Display
The 6-1 scoreline, achieved with their best player resting, underlined the squad depth that makes Bayern favourites in every domestic competition they enter. Magdeburg, to their credit, competed gamely early on, but the gulf in quality told as the match wore on. The trending football coverage placed the cup rout among the week’s top stories, between Messi’s brace and the Pakistan Super League’s auction plans.
Records Still to Chase
Resting Kane in October is a decision about May. Bayern’s season will be judged on the Champions League and the Bundesliga run-in, and keeping their 32-year-old talisman fresh is a strategic priority. His scoring rate since arriving in Germany has kept him in permanent contention for Europe’s individual prizes, and the Ballon d’Or may not be the last of them if his body holds.
For one night in Magdeburg, though, the football was almost incidental. A guard of honour, six goals and a rested superstar: Bayern’s machine is running exactly as designed.
