Teddy Sheringham Backs Rodri Over Kane for Ballon d'Or

Teddy Sheringham has nailed his colours to the mast in the Ballon d’Or debate – and they’re not Harry Kane’s.

Despite Kane’s record-shattering first season at FC Bayern Munich, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker believes another man should be standing on that podium with the golden ball in his hands: Rodri.

Sheringham backs Rodri over Kane for Ballon d’Or

Kane, 33, has just delivered one of the most devastating goalscoring campaigns of his career. Sixty-one goals in all competitions. Thirty-six of them in 31 Bundesliga matches as Bayern marched to a second straight league title. He turned Bayern into a machine and helped make England one of the most feared sides at the World Cup, where they finished with a bronze medal after beating France in the third-place play-off.

For many, that body of work makes him the frontrunner for football’s biggest individual prize.

Sheringham doesn’t see it that way.

“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 should edge it.

“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,” he said.

For Sheringham, the midfielder’s impact and trophies tip the scales.

“[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: Kane belongs in the conversation, but Sheringham’s vote goes elsewhere.

“I can see Kane playing into his 40s”

If Sheringham doesn’t see Kane as this year’s Ballon d’Or winner, he certainly doesn’t see him as a fading force.

The ex-England forward, who played until he was 42, is convinced Kane has the tools to stretch his career deep into the next decade.

“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.”

Those doubts, in Sheringham’s eyes, have been buried by Kane’s durability and conditioning at Bayern.

“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 mastered the art of ageing gracefully in elite football, that endorsement carries weight. Sheringham knows what it takes to survive at the top into your 40s. He sees the same discipline and professionalism in Kane.

No Saudi detour – Bayern for the long haul?

The modern superstar’s career path often ends with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia or MLS. Sheringham doesn’t picture Kane following that script.

For him, Bayern is not a stepping stone. It might be the final destination.

“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 Kane’s perspective, Sheringham sees no reason to look elsewhere.

“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.”

The caveat is there, but only as a nod to football’s unpredictability. Right now, Sheringham is convinced Kane still craves the sharpest edge of competition.

“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 while the Ballon d’Or debate rages and Kane’s name dominates the bookmakers’ lists, Sheringham’s view cuts across the noise: Rodri for the award, Kane for the long game. The question now is simple – will the voters see it his way, or will Kane’s numbers prove impossible to ignore?