Teddy Sheringham's Ballon d'Or Pick: Rodri 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 best of his era. So when he looks at this year’s Ballon d’Or race, you might expect him to plant the flag firmly in Harry Kane’s corner.
He doesn’t.
Despite Kane’s outrageous numbers for FC Bayern Munich, Sheringham believes another man should be holding the golden ball: Rodri.
Sheringham backs Rodri over Kane
Kane, now 33, is coming off a season that would define most careers. Sixty-one goals in all competitions. Thirty-six of them in just 31 Bundesliga matches, driving Bayern to a second straight league title and confirming himself as the ruthless finisher the German champions paid for.
His form with Bayern also turned England into genuine contenders at the World Cup. Gareth Southgate’s side didn’t reach the final, but they still left with a bronze medal after beating France in the third-place playoff – a rare podium finish on the biggest stage.
Even so, Sheringham is looking elsewhere when it comes to the game’s biggest individual prize.
“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 name he feels ticks those boxes.
“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. [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.”
The message is clear: goals alone don’t sway Sheringham. Trophies do.
“I can see Kane playing into his 40s”
Where Sheringham does not hesitate to back Kane is on longevity. Few people are better placed to judge. He retired at 42, still competing at the top level, and he sees the same potential in England’s captain.
“I can see Kane playing into his 40s,” he said. That would have sounded optimistic a few years ago. Kane’s mid-20s were punctured by ankle problems, the sort of recurring issue that can stalk a striker’s career.
“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,” Sheringham recalled.
Those doubts have faded. Bayern’s No. 9 has rebuilt his body and his rhythm.
“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.”
Kane has shifted from injury concern to model of consistency. For Sheringham, that opens the door to a career that stretches well beyond the usual shelf life of a centre-forward.
Why leave Bayern?
The modern script for elite players in their 30s is familiar: Europe first, then a lucrative final act in Saudi Arabia or MLS. Sheringham doesn’t see Kane following it.
In his eyes, Kane could easily finish his career in Munich.
“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 structure revolves around him. Wingers, full-backs, midfielders – all tuned to feed the main striker.
“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 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, Kane’s competitive edge still burns too brightly.
“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’s verdict is a sharp split. Rodri, not Kane, for the Ballon d’Or. But Kane, not many others, to keep scoring at the top level deep into his 30s and beyond.
The only question left is whether the game’s biggest individual prize will ever catch up with the numbers he keeps putting on the board.
