England football star Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, and when he was asked whether he was left "starstruck" by any congratulatory message, Kane revealed he had received multiple messages from sportspersons, including Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli.

Kane received the 2026 Ballon d'Or at a ceremony at the London Palladium on October 26, making him the first English footballer in 25 years to win the prestigious award. The Bayern Munich striker edged out Kylian Mbappé by a narrow margin, earning 1,055 points to the Frenchman's 1,027. Lamine Yamal was also one of the top contenders.

The England captain had an outstanding 2025-26 season, netting 73 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich. His performances earned him the biggest individual honor in football. A special message from Kohli, however, made the occasion even more memorable for him.

Before the UEFA Champions League group stage match, Harry Kane was asked which of all the messages he received after winning the Ballon d’Or left him most starstruck. In his response, he named Virat Kohli, who had congratulated the Bayern Munich striker after he won the award.

He stated that "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."  

After Harry Kane claimed the award, Virat posted a tweet congratulating England’s No. 9. The former India captain said he is very happy to commend Kane’s hard work, which won him the most prestigious individual football award. Kohli felt that he received the recognition he deserved and also offered his congratulations to his family.

"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 would be of your own journey. My best wishes always. Congratulations," Kohli wrote on X.