Harry Kane's aspirations for the Ballon d'Or have been extinguished following his muted performance in England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, according to former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.
England was eliminated from the tournament after a 2-1 loss, conceding two late goals after taking an early lead. Petit, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, believes Kane's inability to significantly influence the decisive match, particularly in the attacking third, will weigh against him in the Ballon d'Or voting.
"Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or chances are over," Petit stated. "If you base that only on the German league, okay, no problem at all. But in the Champions League and with the national team, when it started to be really hard to win, I think he disappeared."
Kane, who has been considered a frontrunner for the award, scored 72 goals for Bayern Munich and England during the season. Despite this prolific record, Petit argued that Kane did not make a decisive impact in critical games, citing performances in both the Champions League and the World Cup semi-final.
"I can't point the finger at him because he tried everything he could, and he scored many goals, but he didn't have an impact in the big games, just like in the Champions League," Petit added. "I think there are a few names ahead of him."
Kane concluded the World Cup with six goals and scored 14 goals in 13 Champions League matches, including goals in the quarter-final and semi-final ties against Real Madrid and PSG, respectively.
Petit suggested that Rodri and Lamine Yamal could be stronger contenders for the Ballon d'Or based on their World Cup performances. Rodri was named the tournament's player of the year for his pivotal role in Spain's victory, while Yamal also impressed.
"Yamal, he had a great World Cup," Petit commented. "You know the rules for the Ballon d'Or have changed so much, just like the rules on the pitch. Rodri has been the best player again during this competition. Messi had a great competition, but he plays for [Inter] Miami."
Petit also expressed hope that the Ballon d'Or decision would not be influenced by commercial factors. "I know the World Cup is above any title you want with your club. But in the meantime, you have to win the title. Is it going to be a Spanish player? I have no idea. But it's going to be tough and in the end, I hope it won't be a commercial decision."
England's semi-final loss saw manager Thomas Tuchel's late substitutions scrutinized, with some observers suggesting the team's defensive approach invited sustained pressure from Argentina. Kane, as captain, was noted to have dropped deeper as the match progressed, limiting his opportunities to impact the game offensively.