Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm says Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or win underscores how difficult it is for a Bundesliga-based player to claim the sport's top individual honor. The last Bundesliga player to win the award was Matthias Sammer in 1996, and a German has finished in the top three only three times since, most recently Manuel Neuer in 2014. Kane is just the seventh Bundesliga player to reach the top three since Sammer.
Lahm links this trend to Bayern Munich's domestic dominance. Bayern have lost the title only once since the 2012-13 season, a lack of competitiveness that he believes limits players' global visibility. "It helped Harry Kane and Michael Olise that they came from another country," Lahm said. "I think it's quite difficult for a German player playing in the Bundesliga to win the Ballon d'Or."
Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund argues the club's ability to win titles in Germany and Europe makes it attractive, but the Premier League's financial power has shifted the balance. Florian Wirtz's move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool in 2025 exemplifies the new order. Lahm noted that success abroad generates far more attention than success in the Bundesliga alone.
Bayern executives acknowledge the league's international appeal has suffered. Board member Rouven Kasper said Bayern represent about 50% of the Bundesliga's global brand value and urged the league to increase its presence in overseas markets, similar to Premier League and La Liga preseason tours. Freund admitted the Premier League is currently the biggest league, but stressed Bayern and the Bundesliga remain highly attractive for top players.
Borussia Dortmund CEO Carsten Cramer conceded Dortmund cannot compete economically with Munich, Madrid, London, Paris, or Milan. Instead, Dortmund offer a qualitative appeal based on closeness and a passionate global fanbase. Former Dortmund defender Patrick Owomoyela believes the current Dortmund squad under coach Niko Kovac has the defensive structure and creativity to challenge Bayern, but warned that replicating the camaraderie of Klopp's title-winning teams is difficult in modern football.
The recent 2-2 draw in Der Klassiker offered a flicker of optimism. Bayern generated 4.48 expected goals to Dortmund's 0.74, hitting the crossbar twice, while Dortmund stayed level on points after eight games. Owomoyela said Bayern have shown vulnerabilities this season, and with belief and quality, a title race is possible. However, he cautioned that Dortmund have not been true eye-level competitors with Bayern for years, and a long road remains before anyone can definitively say Bayern can be toppled.
