Norwich City and Millwall send messages after Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph

Harry Kane has established himself as one of the finest strikers of his generation, becoming England’s all-time leading goalscorer with 91 international goals before adding another major honour to his impressive career.

The former Tottenham Hotspur forward left north London in 2023 in pursuit of silverware and individual recognition, a decision that paid off during the 2025/26 campaign when he helped Bayern Munich secure a domestic treble.

However, Kane’s rise to the top of world football was far from straightforward. Before becoming a regular in Tottenham’s first team, the striker spent time on loan at four different clubs in the English Football League, gaining valuable experience along the way.

EFL clubs react to Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph

Kane’s loan spells in the Championship included Leicester City and Millwall, where he scored nine goals across 37 appearances. His final outing in the second tier came during Leicester’s dramatic play-off defeat against Watford, a match remembered for Troy Deeney’s famous last-gasp winner.

The England captain eventually moved beyond those early setbacks, going on to score more than 500 goals for club and country across his career with England, Tottenham and Bayern Munich.

Following his latest individual achievement, attention has turned to the EFL clubs that played a part in his development.

Leyton Orient were among the first to acknowledge Kane’s success, taking to social media to celebrate their connection with the striker during the early stages of his career.

The League One club posted: “Every Ballon d’Or winner remembers their first senior goal 🏆 Congrats on an incredible achievement, @HKane ❤️ #LOFC #OneOrient.”

Orient also reflected on their contribution to Kane’s development, adding: “Proud to have played a part at the beginning of your special journey, @HKane 🫶 #LOFC #OneOrient.”

The message highlighted the significance of Kane’s early experiences in the EFL and how those formative years helped shape the player who would eventually reach the summit of world football.

While Leicester City and Millwall were also part of his journey through the Championship, their responses to the Ballon d’Or achievement had yet to emerge at the time of writing.

For Kane, the recognition represents another milestone in a career that began with loan spells away from Tottenham and has since developed into a remarkable story of goals, trophies and individual success.