Harry Kane Opens Up on the Only African Artists He Listens to Amid 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Harry Kane Opens Up on the Only African Artists He Listens to Amid 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony

  • 2026 Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane revealed in a video that Burna Boy is the only African artist he listens to
  • The England striker specifically named Burna Boy's hit track 'Big 7' as one of his favourites
  • Kane's comments have set Nigerian music fans buzzing, with many celebrating Afrobeats' growing global reach

Football's biggest individual prize and Afrobeats have collided in an unexpected way.

A video of 2026 Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane has gone viral after the England striker confessed to being a genuine Burna Boy fan, sending Nigerian music lovers into a frenzy.

Harry Kane names his preferred African artists in conversation ahead of Ballon d’Or
African music fans react as Harry Kane opens up about his favourite artists. Credit: @wizkidayo, @henrykane, @davido
Source: Instagram

In the clip, Kane was asked which African artists he listens to beyond the one he had already mentioned.

His answer was immediate and unambiguous: Burna Boy. He even called the Grammy-winning Nigerian star "my guy," making it clear the admiration runs deeper than casual listening.

Kane also singled out "Big 7" as a track he enjoys, showing a familiarity with Burna Boy's catalogue that goes beyond just knowing the name.

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"Hopefully, Inshallah": Burna Boy shares big dreams for Nigerian football at Ballon d'Or ceremony

The revelation caught fans off guard, given that the Bayern Munich striker is more typically associated with football headlines than music commentary.

Burna Boy's music reaches the world's biggest stars

Burna Boy, widely referred to as the African Giant, has spent years building a sound that blends Afrofusion, reggae, and dancehall into something that clearly transcends borders.

Harry Kane opens up on African music as 2026 Ballon d’Or excitement builds
Harry Kane reveals his African music favourites in surprising admission. Credit: @harrykane
Source: Getty Images

Having a player of Kane's stature declare him a favourite adds yet another chapter to that story.

The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony took place at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday, 26 October 2026, with Kane picking up the honour after a dominant year on the pitch.

It is in the context of that same ceremony that the video began circulating, drawing attention not just to his footballing achievement but to his music taste.

Watch the clip that has Nigerian fans talking:

Burna Boy, Bukayo Saka make history at Ballon d'Or ceremony

Legit.ng earlier reported that Burna Boy took the stage at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London to present a prestigious humanitarian honour.

Read also

Kylian Mbappe reacts after losing 2026 Ballon d'Or to Harry Kane

The Grammy-winning singer spoke about his football academy in Nigeria before naming the Socrates Award winner.

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka, who is of Nigerian heritage, claimed the award for his charitable work with children.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Chinasa Afigbo avatar

Chinasa Afigbo (Entertainment Editor) Chinasa Afigbo is a pop culture/music journalist and content writer with over four years of experience in other mainstream media organisations, including Vanguard Media and Guardian Life. She holds a degree in Information Management Technology from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). She also moved on to pursue a program in media and communications. Chinasa has also been published in other Intl journals, like The African Report. Reach her at: chinasa.afigbo@corp.legit.ng.