Kane Names Kohli Among Sports Heroes
England captain Harry Kane cited Virat Kohli, David Beckham and Tom Brady among sports figures he admires after winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Soccer
Harry Kane, who won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, named Virat Kohli, David Beckham and Tom Brady among the sports figures he admires in a pre-match press conference. Kohli later posted a congratulatory message to Kane on X after the award.
Why it matters
The exchange highlights cross-sport admiration between a leading football figure and a prominent cricketer, drawing attention to the global reach of both athletes. It also reflects the growing visibility of cricket and football audiences overlapping on social media.
Kane named three sports figures as admired peers, while Kohli's upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand begins with a match on November 4 at Eden Park in Auckland. The source does not report engagement metrics for Kohli's congratulatory post.
The players
Harry Kane
England National Football Team captain who won the 2026 Ballon d'Or for his season with club and country.
Virat Kohli
Indian cricketer and former captain widely regarded as one of the world's leading batsmen, who posted a congratulatory message to Kane on X.
The details
Kane was asked in a pre-match press conference about messages he received after winning the Ballon d'Or and responded by naming Kohli, Beckham and Brady. Kohli then posted a congratulatory message to Kane on X, and the two had previously met at the 2019 ODI World Cup in England.
Timeline
2019: Kane and Kohli met at the ODI World Cup in England.
2026 FIFA World Cup: Kane posted a joke offering himself to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and England Cricket.
November 3, 2026: Kane named Kohli in a pre-match press conference after winning the Ballon d'Or.
November 4: Kohli plays an ODI match at Eden Park in Auckland.
The Big Picture
Kane and Kohli first crossed paths at the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, and their recent public exchange builds on that encounter. Their mutual praise reflects a wider pattern of elite footballers and cricketers acknowledging one another across sports.
Kohli's ODI series against New Zealand opens November 4 at Eden Park, giving fans a scheduled match to follow in the series. The series is five matches, so the schedule offers several opportunities to watch the Indian captain in action.
The takeaway
Cross-sport admiration between elite athletes can connect fan communities that rarely overlap, and public exchanges like this one often carry that connection beyond the original event.
What happens next
Kohli's five-match ODI series against New Zealand begins with a match on November 4 at Eden Park in Auckland.
Further reading
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