Sheringham Supports Rodri for Ballon d’Or Over Kane
Teddy Sheringham knows what it takes to live at the top of the game. He played on into his 40s, lifted major trophies, and shared dressing rooms with some of the biggest names of his era. So when he looks at this year’s Ballon d’Or race, you might expect him to throw his weight behind Harry Kane.
He doesn’t.
Despite Kane’s staggering numbers for FC Bayern Munich, Sheringham believes another name should be etched on the trophy: Rodri.
Sheringham backs Rodri over Kane for Ballon d’Or
Kane, 33, has just delivered one of the most ruthless goalscoring seasons of his career. Sixty-one goals in all competitions for Bayern. Thirty-six of those in 31 Bundesliga matches, driving the club to a second straight league title and underlining his status as one of the deadliest finishers in world football.
His club form helped turn England into genuine contenders at the World Cup. They didn’t reach the final, but they did leave with a bronze medal after beating France in the third-place playoff, a run that kept Kane firmly in the global spotlight.
Even so, Sheringham sees the Ballon d’Or through a different lens.
“There’s not an obvious favorite for the Ballon d’Or, but I would think you have to be winning Champions Leagues, World Cups, or Euros whenever they’re about to be in that conversation. I’m sure Kane will be in the top five, no doubt about that, but I can’t see him winning it,” Sheringham told Heavy Sports via BetVictor Online Casino.
Then came the key line.
“I think someone like Rodri has been spoken of very highly and was exceptional again in the World Cup every time he was on the football pitch.”
For Sheringham, the Spain and Manchester City midfielder ticks the boxes that matter most in this debate: influence on the biggest stages and medals to show for it. “[Rodri] took his teams to glory as well, so he would be my pick. But Kane has definitely had a fantastic season as well, and he’s in and around it again.”
Kane may be the bookmakers’ favorite. Sheringham’s vote, though, goes to the metronome in midfield.
“I can see Kane playing into his 40s”
If Sheringham is unconvinced about Kane lifting the Ballon d’Or this year, he is absolutely convinced about something else: longevity.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward played until he was 42. He sees the same kind of extended career in Kane.
“I can see Kane playing into his 40s,” Sheringham said. He referenced the period when Kane’s future looked more fragile than it does now. “He had a few injuries when he was around 26 or 27, when he had those ankle problems. Everyone was looking at him and wondering, ‘Has he got glass ankles?’ and whether he’d be okay in the long run.”
Those doubts have faded. Kane’s body of work in Germany has answered them.
“But he’s obviously had them mended and looked at properly for his longevity, and he’s enjoying that now. He looks fit and strong, and long may that continue.”
From a man who extended his own career well beyond the usual shelf life of a top striker, that assessment carries weight. Sheringham sees a forward whose game, movement, and intelligence can age gracefully, even as the years pile up.
Why leave Bayern?
The modern template for elite players in their 30s is familiar: peak years in Europe, then a final lucrative move to Saudi Arabia or MLS. Sheringham doesn’t see Kane following that script.
In his eyes, Kane has already found the ideal stage.
“He’s playing his best football, scoring 60 goals in a season last year, you can’t get much better than that,” Sheringham said. At Bayern, the entire system is geared towards feeding its No. 9. “Everyone is focused on providing for the main striker, and that’s what it’s all about – everyone’s doing their job to let the striker finish things off.”
From that vantage point, the logic is simple. “From Harry’s point of view, there’s no reason to leave. I can’t see him going to Saudi Arabia; it’s just not in his makeup. Things may change, of course.”
Right now, though, Sheringham believes Kane is exactly where he wants to be: at a club that competes for the biggest prizes, in a league that still demands the highest standards.
“At this moment in time, I think he likes pitting himself against the best in the world, and there’s no better place to do that than Bayern.”
So Sheringham splits his verdict in two. Rodri, he says, deserves the Ballon d’Or. Kane, he insists, still has the time, the platform, and the body to chase it for years to come.
