Seeing Harry Kane play live for Leicester was an experience, nothing more at the time. Back then, he didn’t seem like a future Ballon d’Or winner, and honestly, few would have believed it would be possible for him to win this award after turning 30.
At this moment, knowing his journey in football, both at international level for England and club level with Spurs and Bayern Munich, this is a well deserved winner. He is a legend, a special human being and a role model for all young footballers.
Harry Kane is not well-known for his time at Leicester, where he joined on loan in February 2013. At 19, he hadn’t yet debuted for Spurs. Before Leicester, he had loan spells at Millwall, Leyton Orient, and Norwich, playing 43 league games and scoring 12 goals in all. Joining Leicester was a step up, but he made few starts in his 13 league games, scoring 2 goals. His total tally of games was 15, counting the two Play-off games vs. Watford.
Kane made his debut in a starting position away to Blackpool (0-0). He made four more starts, before being placed on the bench for his next 10 appearances. His first goal was scored in a 3-0 away win vs. Blackburn. The second scored in a 1-3 home defeat to Watford.
Leicester had other options to call on at the time. David Nugent, Jamie Vardy and Chris Wood were three of those players, so hard competition for the places up front, something that often resulted in a flank role for Harry Kane.
Back in 2013, Harry Kane was on the bench while on loan at Leicester.
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 26, 2026
13 years later, he’s a Ballon d’Or winner… 🥹
Keep working at it 💪 pic.twitter.com/W4ra66OWQo
Harry Kane rejoined Spurs, and from he made his first appearance of the 2014–15 season as a substitute in a London derby against West Ham, on the opening day of the Premier League season, he provided an assist for the match-winning goal by Eric Dier.
On 2 November 2014, Kane came on as a second-half substitute in Tottenham’s 2–1 win over Aston Villa and scored his first Premier League goal of the season to win the match in the 90th minute. Manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had just been appointed had a rocky start at the club, he has since said that this goal saved him from the sack.
It’s great to see him win this award; watching him play live for Leicester is a memory I’ll always treasure, especially considering how he has developed and flourished from his days on loan here and how far he has come on his football journey.
A fun fact is also that he is the most capped player for England, holding that 125 cap record together with another former Leicester great, Peter Shilton.
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