Matthaus: Kane is my biggest favorite for the Ballon d'Or, Mbappe and others have no titles

On September 9 local time, Matthaus expressed his support for Bayern star Kane on a Bild program, saying the player is a role model in football and deserves the Ballon d'Or for his honors and performances.

Bayern will face Bodo/Glimt tomorrow night, one of the two Norwegian teams in this season's Champions League. However, their final match before the Champions League did not produce the expected result, ending in a 0-0 draw. Do you think this was just a minor accident, or does Bayern really need to think carefully before the Champions League begins?

Matthaus: Yes, nobody will simply hand Bayern Munich victories now. But if you look at their match against Schalke, Bayern had 83% possession and were almost constantly building attacks near the opponent's penalty area, but they were still lacking the final touch. Schalke also performed very well. But this situation will not happen all the time, and it is normal to see it occasionally. This match exposed that Bayern may not have completed the final step, namely applying the final pressure inside the box through combinations and shots. Their set pieces were also not particularly effective. Of course, Bayern will not receive any extra favors. Every opponent will give their all, and Bodo/Glimt coming to the Allianz Arena tomorrow will certainly make things difficult for Bayern.

They were the dark horse team in last season's Champions League, going very far before being eliminated by Sporting CP after coming extremely close to advancing. Before that, they had also beaten several strong teams, including teams from Milan. As I said, in terms of reputation, Bodo/Glimt were certainly the team nobody favored last year. But on the other hand, we have already seen what kind of ability they have. Therefore, I believe Bayern Munich have definitely prepared fully.

Bayern's squad has also received some criticism this season. Some believe the team did not strengthen enough, especially in attack. Regarding Saibari, your expert colleague Didi Hamann once said he was actually just a 'slightly lesser Kane' because he was too slow and had not yet produced enough good performances, although Hamann also acknowledged his football ability. What do you think? How would you evaluate Bayern's transfer business? Are they stronger than last season?

Matthaus: Generally speaking, yes, because the core of this team has remained. Especially the important players stayed at Bayern, while the club also brought in Brown and Saibari, who have already shown their abilities.

But with the phrase 'a lesser Kane,' what exactly makes a great Kane? Who can actually be at the same level as Kane?

Kane is the biggest favorite for the Ballon d'Or in my eyes. He is the type of player who can change matches, and he also became Germany's Player of the Year. So he can only be called a 'lesser Kane,' because there is simply no better Kane.

Our Saibari is a player with many abilities, and he has just proven that at the World Cup. He is physically strong and also technically good with the ball. He knows where the goal is. I believe that if he can produce the performances he showed in the past, Bayern will get a lot of joy from him. I believe he has that ambition. He has integrated into the team well, so I think he is a very good signing.

50 million euros is indeed a very high fee, but Bayern Munich needed a backup for Harry Kane and needed someone who could play up front. Last season they were not particularly satisfied with Jackson, while Jackson also scored for Chelsea yesterday.

From this perspective, I think Bayern Munich should still be quite satisfied with their summer transfer policy. Perhaps one or two players they originally wanted to sell did not complete transfers, but I think the players they brought in are excellent.

Moreover, these players can be used in different positions. Saibari can play two or three positions in attack. Brown also joined from Frankfurt for 50 million euros and can play many different positions. Therefore, Bayern Munich have improved their squad quality and depth once again.

Also, over the weekend, Bayern saw an important player return after a period of recovery. Jamal Musiala came back on as a substitute in the 57th minute and already showed good performances. Everyone hopes he can return to his previous level. We briefly discussed him earlier. When he publicly revealed his condition, it was certainly a shock for the entire German football scene and probably for the football world as well.

You two have a very good private relationship, and you know him well. Regarding this matter, did you contact him personally at the time? Or did you give him any advice?

Matthaus: I did not contact him directly, but I was in touch with some people close to him. Yes, I am very happy that he has recovered well now. It was really difficult to see all of this, considering he collapsed twice within three days, once in Heidenheim and once at home against Leipzig.

Whether it was the previous friendly matches, the cup match against Leipzig, the Super Cup or similar games—regardless of the exact nature of that match—it was already painful enough to see something like this happen. But now they have regained control of the situation, and his performances in training have been excellent.

The important thing now is that he needs the coach's trust and needs playing time. We already saw that in the match against Schalke.

And judging from his training performances, he has become the old Musiala again. As he gets more opportunities and match rhythm, he will once again bring us a lot of joy. We are all supporting him, and I believe that even after such a difficult 15-month period, Musiala can find himself again.

He can not only perform for Bayern Munich, but eventually become the person who makes the difference for Bayern, helping the team win important trophies, namely the Champions League. I believe Musiala's ability can provide Bayern Munich with tremendous help in this regard.

Another piece of news Bayern Munich should be very happy about is the Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist announced yesterday. Four Bayern players were selected. First of course is Harry Kane, followed by Luis Diaz, Upamecano and Michael Olise. They were recognized because of the team's excellent achievements last season. You have already revealed that Harry Kane is your favorite. Looking at this list, can you explain again why you think Kane deserves to win the Ballon d'Or most compared with other big-name players?

Matthaus: Yes, the list basically contains the names everyone expected. Having four Bayern players selected is certainly a good thing. It is unfortunate that there are no German players, which is somewhat sad. But we have also seen with the German national team that if a team is eliminated early in a tournament and does not perform well, it becomes very difficult for players from that team to receive nominations.

The players on the list all maintained excellent performances for their respective club teams throughout the year. At the World Cup, most of their teams at least reached the quarter-finals.

Why is Harry Kane my favorite? First, he is a German champion and German Cup champion, reached the semi-final stages in the Champions League and World Cup, while England eventually finished third at the World Cup. He performed well in every competition, scored his goals and led his teams. He is a player who can change matches. His personality on and off the pitch, as well as his way of interacting with fans and journalists, are also very important to me. A Ballon d'Or winner should also carry a certain role as a role model.

What about the others? What have they won? Of course, everyone has won something. But when combining overall achievements and individual performances, I have to say Harry Kane still has the advantage. Some won the Champions League, and some became world champions, but at the same time they did not achieve anything at club level.

Mbappe ultimately did not win a single title. Vinicius is in a similar situation. They did not win the Champions League, did not win the league title with Real Madrid, and achieved nothing at national team level either. Therefore, I think Harry Kane has a very good chance of winning the Ballon d'Or. I hope he wins, not because he is a Bayern player, but because he himself is an outstanding role model in international football.