England captain and Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane described the anticipation leading up to the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in London on Monday as “very stressful” for both himself and his family. Kane is among the finalists for the prestigious individual football award, competing against Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé.

Kane concluded the previous season with an impressive tally of 61 goals and seven assists across all competitions, bolstering his standing as one of the top contenders for the accolade. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, he acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding the announcement adds pressure, particularly for his wife and close family members.

“I think my wife would prefer to know and my family, it’s very stressful for everyone,” Kane said. At the same time, he expressed understanding of the organizers’ decision to withhold the results until the event itself. “I can see why they don’t tell people. They want everyone to go, all the big names there, and there will be more people watching it if they don’t know, so I can understand why.”

While admitting he would like to know the outcome in advance to avoid anxiety during the ceremony, Kane said he and his family will focus on enjoying the occasion. “We’ll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much,” he added, underscoring the emotional toll that waiting for the award can take on nominees and their loved ones.