Roberto Soldado, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker, has offered a vivid account of just how rapidly Harry Kane rose through the ranks at Spurs — a rise that ultimately culminated in the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Soldado, now 41, played for Tottenham Hotspur between 2013 and 2015, arriving at the North London club at precisely the moment Kane was returning from loan spells at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City, and Leicester City. He saw up close what was coming.