Teddy Sheringham's Ballon d'Or Choice: Rodri over Kane

Teddy Sheringham knows what it takes to live at the top of the game. He played until he was 42, lifted the Champions League and shared dressing rooms with elite forwards. So when he looks at this year’s Ballon d’Or race, you might expect him to plant the flag firmly in Harry Kane’s corner.

He doesn’t.

Despite Kane’s outrageous numbers for FC Bayern Munich, Sheringham believes another name should be etched on the trophy: Rodri.

Rodri over Kane for Ballon d’Or

Kane, 33, has just produced one of the most devastating seasons of his career. Sixty-one goals in all competitions. Thirty-six of them in just 31 Bundesliga matches as Bayern claimed a second straight league title with their new No. 9 at the heart of it all. He transformed Bayern’s attack and carried that form onto the international stage.

His performances in Germany helped turn England into one of the most dangerous sides at the World Cup. Gareth Southgate’s team didn’t quite go the distance, but they still left with a bronze medal after beating France in the third-place play-off.

Even with all that, Sheringham is looking elsewhere when it comes to the game’s biggest individual prize.

“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,” he 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.”

The message is clear: in Sheringham’s eyes, Kane’s numbers are phenomenal, but trophies at the very top tilt the scales.

“I can see Kane playing into his 40s”

Where Sheringham has no doubts is Kane’s longevity.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker, who extended his own career well into his 40s, sees the same possibility for England’s captain. Not long ago, that would have sounded optimistic. Kane’s mid-to-late 20s were punctured by recurring ankle problems, and questions swirled about his durability.

Sheringham remembers that narrative well.

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

Those doubts have faded. Bayern’s leading man has rebuilt his body and his reputation as a relentless, ever-present threat.

“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.”

Coming from a forward who squeezed every last drop out of his own career, that’s not empty praise. It’s a projection.

No Saudi switch? Why Sheringham sees Kane staying at Bayern

The modern superstar’s career arc often ends in Saudi Arabia or MLS, drawn by huge contracts and a gentler pace. Sheringham does not see Kane on that path any time soon.

In fact, he believes Bayern could be Kane’s final stop.

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

Right now, Kane has what he always craved: a powerhouse club geared around him, a platform in the Champions League, and the weekly test of a major European league.

“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.”

Rodri may be Sheringham’s pick for the Ballon d’Or, but if Kane keeps scoring at this rate, keeps his body intact and keeps chasing the game’s biggest prizes in Munich, the argument over who deserves the next one will only get louder.