Teddy Sheringham Favors Rodri Over Kane for Ballon d’Or

Teddy Sheringham knows what it takes to live at the top of the game deep into your 30s and beyond. He did it himself. So when he looks at the Ballon d’Or race and turns away from Harry Kane, people listen.

And that is exactly what he’s done.

Despite Kane’s outrageous numbers for FC Bayern Munich last season, Sheringham believes the most prestigious individual prize in football should go elsewhere – specifically to Rodri.

Sheringham backs Rodri over Kane for Ballon d’Or

Kane, 33, has just delivered one of the most prolific campaigns of his career. Sixty-one goals in all competitions. Thirty-six of them in 31 Bundesliga matches as Bayern wrapped up a second straight league title. He didn’t just score; he carried Bayern’s attack and turned England into genuine contenders on the world stage.

England ultimately fell short of the World Cup final, but they still left with a bronze medal after beating France in the third-place playoff. Kane was central to that run, his Bayern form bleeding into his international performances and making Gareth Southgate’s side one of the most feared attacks at the tournament.

Even so, Sheringham is looking elsewhere when it comes to the Ballon d’Or.

“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.

“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.”

For Sheringham, the deciding factor is simple: medals. Rodri’s influence on club and country, married with trophies at the highest level, edges Kane’s stunning goal tally.

“I can see Kane playing into his 40s”

If Sheringham isn’t handing Kane the Ballon d’Or, he is handing him something else: time.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker, who played until he was 42, sees the same kind of longevity in Kane’s game. The doubts that once swirled around Kane’s ankles feel like a distant memory to him now.

“I can see Kane playing into his 40s,” Sheringham said. “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.

“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.”

The numbers back that up. Kane has not only stayed on the pitch, he has maintained an elite level in one of Europe’s most demanding environments. Sheringham sees a forward who has adapted his body, refined his movement, and built a game that can age well.

“No reason to leave” Bayern

There is another question looming over every star in their 30s: how long before the lure of Saudi Arabia or MLS becomes too strong?

Sheringham does not see Kane following that path any time soon. In fact, he believes the England captain could spend the rest of his career at FC Bayern.

“He’s playing his best football, scoring 60 goals in a season last year, you can’t get much better than that,” Sheringham said. “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.”

For now, though, Sheringham is convinced Kane is exactly where he should be.

“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 Kane may miss out on the Ballon d’Or this year if Sheringham’s prediction holds. But with his form, his fitness, and his future seemingly locked into the elite level for years to come, the race for that golden ball might not be a one-shot chance for him.