Harry Kane was this close. With a Bundesliga title nearly in hand, Bayern Munich’s dramatic clash against RB Leipzig should have been the moment he shed the weight of a career without silverware. But from the sidelines, the English striker could only watch as a last-gasp goal crushed the celebration that had already started. For a player who’s carried so much expectation and endured years of heartbreak in finals, this one stung—because it was out of his hands.

Kane wasn’t on the pitch when the fireworks were supposed to go off. A suspension for yellow card accumulation left him benched, a decision he vocally disagreed with. In his own words, the call felt harsh and unnecessary—especially when it sidelined him for what might have been the biggest night of his career. He had just four yellows in the season, and the fifth, which triggered the ban, came from what he described as little more than a referee looking to make a statement.

So there he sat, not in boots but in a stadium seat, visibly frustrated. Watching his team stumble into a 2–0 hole in the first half only made matters worse. His body language said it all: arms folded, head shaking, lips pursed. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. The Bundesliga title was on the line, and all Kane could do was hope.

But Bayern, never lacking firepower, clawed their way back. A one-two punch from Eric Dier and Michael Olise, remarkably just seconds apart, leveled things. Then Leroy Sané seemed to write the fairytale ending with a goal that sent Bayern’s fans—and bench—into premature celebration mode. At that point, Kane couldn’t stay in his seat. He made his way to the touchline, joining teammates and staff, all waiting to erupt.

But football, as Kane knows too well, rarely offers neat endings.

Just when the final whistle was in sight, RB Leipzig struck. Yussuf Poulsen, a substitute who had barely seen the ball, found the space he needed and beat Bayern’s keeper in stoppage time. It wasn’t just a goal—it was a gut punch. One chance. One misstep. And suddenly, the title was on ice.

The scene turned quiet in a flash. Kane, now down on the sideline, stood still—expression blank, emotion tightly bottled. For a man who has watched so many opportunities vanish at the last moment, this was all too familiar. It didn’t matter that Bayern is still overwhelmingly likely to be crowned champions in the coming days. This one was supposed to be over.

While mathematically still alive, Leverkusen would need to win their next match and rely on a series of unlikely events—including a massive goal differential swing—to overtake Bayern. It’s improbable at best. But as Kane knows by now, football writes its own scripts.