Harry Kane has finally ended his 15-year wait for a major trophy as Bayern Munich secured the Bundesliga title on Sunday.
The England captain's long-awaited silverware came without him even playing, as Bayer Leverkusen's 2-2 draw with Freiburg mathematically confirmed Bayern as champions.
Kane, who joined the German giants from Tottenham for £82 million in 2023, has endured numerous near-misses throughout his illustrious career.
The 31-year-old striker will now lift the historic 'Meisterschale' trophy when Bayern host Borussia Monchengladbach on May 10.
Harry Kane has finally won a trophy after a long wait
Reuters
For one of England's greatest-ever goalscorers, the title represents a significant milestone after 694 games without team honours.
Bayern's title was virtually secured on Saturday, but celebrations were dramatically delayed when RB Leipzig scored a stoppage-time equaliser to force a 3-3 draw.
Kane was suspended for that match after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season, watching from the stands as his team came from 2-0 down to lead 3-2.
Yussuf Poulsen's 94th-minute goal postponed the party, with Kane having already made his way to the touchline in anticipation.
The title was confirmed 24 hours later when second-placed Leverkusen could only manage a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, leaving Bayern eight points clear with just two games remaining.
Vincent Kompany's side have now reclaimed the crown after Leverkusen ended their 11-year streak last season.
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Kane's trophy drought had become a talking point despite his remarkable individual achievements as one of the world's most prolific strikers.
At Tottenham, he experienced heartbreak in two Carabao Cup finals and finished as Premier League runner-up in 2017.
The Champions League final defeat to Liverpool in 2019 was another painful near-miss.
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Harry Kane had been made to wait after Bayern drew to RB Leipzig on Saturday
Reuters
With England, Kane suffered Euro final losses in both 2020 and 2024, the latter against Spain just months ago.
Even his Bayern debut brought disappointment, losing the German Super Cup to RB Leipzig.
This season, Kane has been in scintillating form, scoring 24 Bundesliga goals to lead the scoring charts for a second consecutive campaign.
Kane will be back available for the trophy celebration after serving his one-match suspension.
Harry Kane has been Bayern Munich's star man this season
PABayern Munich's honorary president Uli Hoeness was effusive in his praise for the England captain, saying: "No one deserves it more than him. He's become a real FC Bayern player in recent months."
"He fights, he scores an incredible number of goals, but he also works for the team," Hoeness added.
Former Tottenham teammate Eric Dier will also collect his first trophy alongside Kane.
The achievement puts to rest the criticism that has followed Kane throughout his career despite his individual brilliance.
"It would be nice to silence a few of them," Kane had said recently as the title became increasingly inevitable.
