Luis Díaz opens up about his big year at Bayern Munich and picks Harry Kane as Ballon d'Or favorite

Some players take months to feel at home in a new locker room. That wasn't the case for Luis Díaz. In an exclusive interview with ESPN from Germany, the Colombian winger talked about how he's experiencing his first big season at Bayern Munich, his Ballon d'Or nomination, and even revealed who he considers the clear favorite to win the award this year.

Before diving into the conversation about Europe, Díaz used the Colombia national team's break to talk about home. With Néstor Lorenzo confirmed to lead the next stage of the national squad, the forward said he was pleased with the continuity of the project, though he didn't hide the fact that the World Cup left a lingering disappointment.

I think it's great. The coach ran a really good, really solid process, he earned the merits to be given a new opportunity. It wasn't the World Cup we wanted but we can improve, move further forward in the coming years, we have a great coaching staff and we should turn in better performances in the years aheadLuis Díaz

Asked about the new cycle, now without James Rodríguez as captain following his recent resignation from the role, Díaz preferred to talk about the fans rather than specific names. He spoke of a fan base that has always been there, in every stadium around the world where Colombia has played, and of an outstanding debt: giving those fans a title that goes down in history.

The earthquake in the western part of the country also came up in the conversation. Díaz, far from home but connected through his foundation, said a significant amount of aid had been raised to help those affected, and he left a message for those still going through difficult times: the foundation keeps working and will continue contributing however it can.

Ballon d'Or: the nomination, Quiñones and the "number one candidate"

Being among the Ballon d'Or nominees is no small thing for Díaz, and he said so plainly: it fills him with pride to be on that list, something he sees as an extra achievement that not many players reach. He also shared that nomination with Julián Quiñones, whom he met at Colombia's Under-20 level during a South American championship in 2017, and he spoke of him with warmth and admiration for his potential to play in any top league.

But when it comes to picking a favorite, Díaz didn't hesitate for a second in pointing to his attacking partner at Bayern: Harry Kane. The Colombian had already suffered against him as a Premier League opponent, but sharing a locker room with him completely changed his perspective.

I already knew he scored a ton of goals, but being around him every day, seeing what he does in training, seeing the mindset he has, I think that impressed me even moreLuis Díaz

He even struggled to find the right word to describe him ("brutal, I don't know, magnificent," he ended up saying), and he was just as direct about the Englishman's chances of winning the award: "for me, he's the number one candidate to win it."

The connection with Olise and the goal of "going for everything"

Another name that came up in the conversation was Michael Olise. Díaz explained that the chemistry with the Frenchman comes from spending every day together, on and off the field, and he highlighted how attentive Olise is to details that often go unnoticed in the game. That familiarity already shows on the pitch: "when he cuts inside I already know I have to make the diagonal run," he said, though he admitted some of those plays still need to be finished off better this season.

On his adaptation to the club, Díaz was just as clear: feeling like part of the family from day one made everything easier. And he left a line that sums up how he sees the collective side of the game: "when the group works, the individual works too."

Looking ahead to this season, the message is one of ambition. After a campaign in which the Champions League was the only thing left unresolved, Díaz was blunt about what's next: if Bayern doesn't repeat or improve on what they did, it will all be forgotten. The goal is to fight for every competition possible. On the style of play under Vincent Kompany, he explained that the coach gives them freedom going forward while respecting each player's role, though defensively the demands increase: everyone has to track back and maintain good positioning.