The 30-year-old Kane joined Bayern on a four-year deal on Saturday for a reported 100 million euros (109.44 million dollars) plus add-ons.

He made his debut only hours later as a second-half substitute in Bayern’s 3-0 loss to RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup.

Despite a stellar scoring record he has failed to win any domestic or international titles with Spurs.

“In my career I wanted to keep improving, pushing myself and see how far that can take me.

“I wanted to play internationally, in the Champions League, and fight for titles every year.

“Coming to Bayern gives me that opportunity. I am looking forward to that challenge,” Kane said in a press conference.

The striker, who has spent the majority of his career at Tottenham after joining at 11, has scored a club-record 280 goals in more than 430 appearances in all competitions.

He has also scored 58 times for his country in 84 games, making him England’s all-time record marksman.

He is also the second-highest Premier League scorer of all time with 213 goals, 47 behind Alan Shearer, but titles with club and country have so far eluded him.

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Bayern had been in search of an out-and-out striker after struggling since the departure of Robert Lewandowski last year.

The Bavarians last won the Champions League in 2020, the most recent of their six European Cups.

They have also won the last 11 Bundesliga titles in a row.

“I was at Tottenham for 19 years of my life. Ultimately I am a professional and I always pushed myself to the limit.

“I needed to be playing in the Champions League, trying to win titles every year. When I thought about it, it was a decision I wanted to make,” Kane said.

Tottenham failed to qualify for international football this season.

Kane, however, missed out on the first title of the season on his Bayern debut, coming on just after the hour but managing only three touches in the loss to Leipzig.

“It was amazing to see the reception I got. Ultimately of course I wanted to come here and win last night but it was not the case.

“No time to panic, it’s a long season ahead. We want to win the title, win the Cup and try to win the Champions League as well,” he said.

Source: Reuters/NAN

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The 34-year-old added to Sergi Roberto’s opener as two goals late in the first half undid the Cadiz side.

Cadiz had held their own for much of the Camp Nou clash and had two goals from Roger disallowed.

Another clean sheet, FC Barcelona’s 17th shutout in LaLiga this season, puts Xavi’s side a step nearer the title.

This was a seventh consecutive league victory, the third time they have had such a run under the leadership of their former midfielder.

It sealed a double for the season, too.

FC Barcelona had won 4-0 in September against the team who are now fighting a relegation battle, sitting just two points outside the bottom three.

Cadiz thought they had made a 19th-minute breakthrough when a delicious pass over the top from Santiago Arzamendia, with the outside of his left boot, found Roger.

The striker finished well but had strayed a foot offside, to FC Barcelona’s relief.

Lacking service, Lewandowski barely had a sniff of goal until the 41st minute.

This was when a cross from Ferran Torres on the right looked ideal for him to nod in at the far post.

He was under pressure, though, and could not make a clean connection.

The same duo combined as FC Barcelona struck two minutes later.

Lewandowski’s stooping header from Torres’ clipped cross was kicked off the line by Isaac Carcelen but only as far as Sergi Roberto.

He slammed it back into the back of the net from eight yards.

Lewandowski drove in FC Barcelona’s second goal in first half stoppage time, a clinical low strike from 16 yards taking his haul to 15 in the league this season.

The former Bayern Munich striker prodded a shot against the top of the bar early in the second half.

Thereafter, Cadiz’s Roger had a second goal disallowed after finishing well from a corner, with team-mate Fali penalised for a nudge into Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The visitors perhaps had reason to feel aggrieved, and Cadiz kept pushing.

Ter Stegen saved well from substitutes Fede San Emeterio and Chris Ramos late in the game, before Anthony Lozano headed against the left post.

It was not to be their night.

Source: dpa/NAN

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Real Madrid captain Benzema was a strong favourite for the top award on Monday after inspiring the Spanish giants to a LaLiga and UEFA Champions League double last term.

Ahead of a November to December FIFA World Cup, a change in the format saw the Ballon d’Or awarded based on performances over a regular season for the first time.

It rather used to be over the calendar year.

France international Benzema would have been a leading candidate in either case.

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But he was the clear winner after scoring 44 goals in 46 matches and earning a fifth European crown in the 2021/2022 campaign.

Although his haul was topped by Robert Lewandowski (50) —- then of Bayern Munich and now of FC Barcelona —- 10 of Benzema’s goals came in the Champions League knockout stages.

He tied a Cristiano Ronaldo single-season record.

Vinicius Junior netted the decisive strike in the final against Liverpool.

But Benzema had already established himself as the world’s best with hat-tricks against both Paris Saint-Germain, PSG, and Chelsea.

Adding 15 assists, Benzema’s total of 59 goal involvements last season fell just shy of Kylian Mbappe’s Europe-wide high of 60 (39 goals, 21 assists).

Benzema had been nominated for the Ballon d’Or on 10 previous occasions but only cracked the top 10 for the first time in 2021.

He finished fourth as Lionel Messi – not nominated this year – claimed a seventh award.

Source: dpa/NAN

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The forward beat Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain, PSG and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah to secure the award for the second consecutive year.

The Pole broke Gerd Muller’s long-standing single-season Bundesliga record with an unprecedented haul of 41 goals.

In all competitions, he scored 48 goals in 40 games for Bayern Munich in the 2020/2021 season.

“Thank you very much, it is a great honour,” Lewandowski said as he received the trophy from Bayern Munich chief Oliver Kahn, coach Julian Nagelsmann and board member for sport, Hasan Salihamidzic.

“Everything that happened last year, the Bundesliga record — I would never have dared to dream about that.”

At the ceremony, Thomas Tuchel was honoured as best coach after his UEFA Champions League triumph with Chelsea.

“It was a pretty normal day so far at the training centre, I’ve just come from training because we have a game (on Tuesday), but now you opened the envelope and said my name, it’s pretty surreal,” the German coach said.

“I’m overwhelmed, I feel a bit uncomfortable actually. I enjoy the journey and I enjoy the club, it’s a good fit.”

On the women’s side, Alexia Putellas of FC Barcelona Women took the award for best player and Chelsea Ladies’ Emma Hayes for best coach.

Putellas captained the Barcelona to the treble, with the Catalan side winning the Women’s UEFA Champions League, Spanish league and Copa de la Reina last term.

Édouard Mendy and Christiane Endler were named best men’s and women’s goalkeeper respectively.

The Denmark national team, medics and coaching staff received the Fairplay Award for their heroic response after Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s match against Finland at the Euro 2020.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ceremony was held partially online, with only a few guests and FIFA officials, including President Gianni Infantino, at the event in Zurich.

All nominated players and coaches participated via video link.

Source: dpa/NAN

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RB Leipzig’s 3-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund handed the title to Bayern Munich, who celebrated in the later game with an emphatic 6-0 triumph at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick to move onto 39 goals for the season from just 27 appearances, one behind Gerd Mueller’s Bundesliga record with two games left to play.

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick, leaving at the end of the campaign after winning seven trophies, later said: “The coaching staff are so proud to have accompanied this team for two years.

“It has been a pleasure. I really, really enjoy working with the team. We have a team with enormous quality.”

Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho scored twice, including a late winner which not only sealed the title for rivals Bayern Munich but also boosted his side’s UEFA Champions League hopes.

They moved up to fourth — two points ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt who host Mainz on Sunday.

Third-placed Wolfsburg look well set to achieve their European dream after a 3-0 win over Union Berlin.

Werder Bremen, who had lost seven straight times in the league, drew 0-0 with sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim beat relegated Schalke 04 4-2 having been 2-0 down.

Second-bottom Cologne welcome Freiburg on Sunday when fellow relegation candidates Hertha Berlin and Arminia Bielefeld also meet.

VfB Stuttgart beat struggling Augsburg 2-1 on Friday.

A well-worked move put Borussia Dortmund ahead early with Thorgan Hazard’s flick releasing Marco Reus who finished with aplomb.

Borussia Dortmund, without the injured Erling Haaland, thought they should have had a penalty kick for Kevin Kampl’s handball just before the break but appeals were waved away.

Sancho then made it 2-0 early in the second period when he fired home amid lax RB Leipzig defending.

Lukas Klostermann headed in a corner-kick to reduce the deficit and out of nowhere it was suddenly 2-2 on 77 minutes through RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo.

But Sancho was on fire and won it for Borussia Dortmund after another superb move on 87 minutes.

“In the second half we played well,” Klostermann said. “We have to lift our heads up quickly. The next game is very important.”

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann leaves for Bayern Munich at the end of the season, but the 33-year-old can still sign off from RB Leipzig with some glory.

This will be when his current side meet Borussia Dortmund again in the German Cup final on Thursday.

“Congratulations (to Bayern) on a deserved title,” Nagelsmann said while grinning.

It is the second Bundesliga triumph for Flick who took over during last season but is departing amid disagreements with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.

There is also the speculation linking him to the Germany job which will be vacant after Euro 2020.

All but one of Bayern Munich’s national titles have come in the Bundesliga era from 1963-1964.

Their current streak started with the league, German Cup and Champions League treble in 2013, a feat repeated under Flick in 2020.

Their dominant decade also included further German Cups in 2014, 2016 and 2019, and a handful of minor trophies.

Gladbach were lambs to the slaughter and Lewandowski opened the scoring after two minutes.

Thomas Mueller’s deflected effort followed before an acrobatic finish gave Lewandowski his 200th Bundesliga goal for Bayern Munich from Mueller’s 17th assist of the league campaign.

Kingsley Coman rattled in a fourth just before the break.

Lewandowski converted a penalty kick midway through the second half to leave Mueller’s record of 40 goals very much in his sights.

A late red card for Tanguy Nianzou for a professional foul was the only blemish for Bayern Munich, with Leroy Sane then making it 6-0.

Source: dpa/NAN

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