The 1990 World Cup winner said Kane should "absolutely be in the top three of the Ballon d'Or", awarded each year to the best men's footballer, but added that a run into the latter stages of the Champions League would be crucial to the 31-year-old's chances.

Kane's Bayern face Inter Milan on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Munich.

"If you go at least into the final four, probably if you win the Champions League, it kind of comes along," Klinsmann told AFP and other media in a call from his Los Angeles home on Monday.

Michael Owen was the last English player to win the Ballon d'Or, collecting the award in 2001.

Klinsmann, who like Kane made the move from Tottenham to Bayern, said he saw parallels with his own career path.

"He had a similar situation to what I had at a club level. Until I left Spurs and went to Bayern, I didn't have a club title yet.

"I always said if Harry leaves Spurs at a certain moment in time, he will get that opportunity to win titles with his club team."

Bayern currently sit six points clear of defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga with six games remaining, putting Kane on track for a first title of his career.

Klinsmann never won the Ballon d'Or but finished second in the voting in 1995.

The 60-year-old joked that timing, rather than talent, held him back from lifting the sport's biggest individual award.

"I was a little bit unlucky because when I got second they had opened it up for the very, very first time to players outside of Europe.

"And then there came a certain George Weah, who had a great year with AC Milan.

"It's my bad timing."

Weah, from Liberia, became the first and as of 2025 only African player to win the award.

Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri is the current Ballon d'Or holder, with this season's prize set to be awarded in the autumn.