Harry Kane says a Champions League winner's medal would mean more to him than his recently claimed Ballon d'Or, placing team success above individual glory as Bayern Munich prepare to face Atletico Madrid in Europe's premier club competition.

The Bayern Munich striker, 33, made history last week as the first Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or since 2001, edging out Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal to claim the prestigious award at a ceremony in London.

"The Ballon d'Or last week was one of the best feelings I've had in my life and my career," Kane told a news conference ahead of Bayern's Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid in Madrid. "But to have moments with the team, celebrations with the club — to be able to lift the Champions League with Bayern would be an incredible feeling."

Choosing the Champions League

When pressed on whether he would choose the European Cup over the Ballon d'Or, Kane was unequivocal. "I would choose the Champions League, but I have the opportunity to do both — let's see what happens," he said.

"Team trophies are why we play football. The team aspect of our sport is really, really important. The Ballon d'Or puts me on an even bigger level, but you want to have these big finals, the Champions League, having that feeling of emotion with your team-mates as well."

Kane became only the fifth Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or, joining Michael Owen, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, and Kevin Keegan on an elite list. Bayern — who last produced a Ballon d'Or winner when Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed the award in 1981 — celebrated alongside him, with the club and supporters honouring Kane ahead of Saturday's Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund.

A 'rollercoaster' beyond the ceremony

Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country last season as Bayern claimed a domestic treble, described the days since the Ballon d'Or ceremony as a "rollercoaster" of highs and lows. "It was a huge high for me, but also for the club," he said. "But we've had some lows and a lot of extremes we've had to deal with. It's brought us closer together and we fight for every moment."

Central among those challenges is the absence of head coach Vincent Kompany, who was taken to hospital after collapsing during a training session on 23 October. The Belgian was discharged five days later and continues to recover, with no confirmed return date. Assistant Aaron Danks has stepped in to oversee first-team duties.

"We're missing our coach, but everyone has the opportunity to prove themselves and there's a long way to go," Kane said.

New contract 'extremely close'

Off the pitch, Kane revealed he is on the verge of signing a new deal with Bayern Munich, describing talks as "extremely close" to a conclusion. Kane joined the Bavarian club from Tottenham Hotspur for £86.4 million in August 2023.

"A lot of the bigger stuff has been ironed out and we are happy with," he said. "In every contract there are loads of little things — small details that the lawyers have to thrash out. All in all I would say it is more days than weeks. Hopefully we will be in a place to do something within the next few days."