Harry Kane Reveals How Virat Kohli Left Him Starstruck After Ballon d’Or Triumph

Akshita Patel

Harry Kane reacts to Virat Kohli's social media praise [Source: AFP, X]

English footballer Harry Kane admitted feeling starstruck after receiving praise from several prominent sportspersons, including Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, following his Ballon d’Or victory.

Kane scored 73 goals last season for Bayern Munich and England. His outstanding goal-scoring record helped him beat prominent names such as Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi to win the prestigious award.

Harry Kane acknowledges Virat Kohli’s praise

After Harry Kane lifted the Ballon d’Or, he received congratulatory messages from across the world. When asked which message left him starstruck, Kane named David Beckham, Tom Brady, Virat Kohli and a few sportspeople he admires.

Gaurav

@Melbourne__82

Q. Of all the congratulatory messages you've received, which one left you most starstruck? A. People like David Beckham, who is a big idol of mine. Tom Brady, Virat Kohli, you know..a lot of sports people I really admire — Harry Kane

Nov 3, 2026, 1:45 PM

Interestingly, Kohli had posted a heartfelt tribute to Kane, whom he considers a good friend. He praised the footballer for resilience, hard work and honesty towards his sport.

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Not only that, but Virat Kohli also wished Harry Kane and his family well, saying that they must be proud of his journey. This message quickly went viral and reached Kane, as he expressed feeling honoured by the admiration.

Virat Kohli

@imVkohli

Harry my friend, you deserve every bit of this award for your resilience, hard work and honesty with which you’ve carried yourself through all these years playing football at the top. Really happy for you. God bless you and your family. They must all be very proud of you as you

This crossover of football and cricket is not new. But with the 2026 Ballon d’Or win, the friendship between Kohli and Kane has certainly grown much stronger.

The old connection between Kane and Kohli

Having said that, Harry Kane’s friendship with Virat Kohli dates back to the 2016 T20 World Cup. India were playing Australia in a high-pressure match where Kohli smashed an unbeaten 82 off 51 balls, helping India win by six wickets.

Kane was impressed by Kohli's performance and praised him on social media, calling him an exceptional player who consistently delivered under pressure. This was their first recorded public interaction.

Later, the two sporting icons met at Lord's in London in May 2019. They exchanged greetings, interacted and shared photographs, marking the beginning of a solid friendship built on mutual respect and admiration.

Hence, now that Harry Kane has won the Ballon d’Or, Virat Kohli, being a friend, couldn’t be happier. And their social media tributes and public admiration are only a testament to their bond.