CAPTAIN of England. Destroying the history books in Munich. And ready to finally ensure football is “coming home”.
Harry Kane has already guaranteed he will leave a legacy that may never be repeated when he hangs up his boots.
But this summer, Kane can paint his portrait across the United States, demonstrating why, at 32, he is the most complete striker in the world game.
A scorer of great goals, as well as a great goalscorer.
And a player with vision, intelligence, power and a sense of destiny too.
CARRYING HIS COUNTRY
For many in the past, the “weight” of the England shirt hung heavy. Expectations, demands, a yearning hope for a new story, frequently conspired to drag even the “Golden Generation” of David Beckham, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Wayne Rooney down.
Kane, by contrast, has led from the front to help establish a new England. One that has reached two finals and a semi-final in four tournaments – the best run in the nation’s history.
Not quite enough, yet, to take the final step. But building the sense that conquering that last peak is inevitable.
He has done it by sheer power of consistency and achievement, too.
Goals alone are a strong credential. Yet Kane does so much more.
His England manager, Germany’s Thomas Tuchel, insisted: “Harry is undoubtedly the best striker of his generation. He has reached a new level and is now scoring two goals per game.
“With Harry, you can feel the confidence. He can carry Bayern and England effortlessly on his shoulders.”
Since making his debut – and scoring with his first touch of the ball in international football – against Lithuania in 2015 – Kane has completely rewritten the England scoring record charts.
His tally of 74 goals in 109 games is 21 more than the previous leading scorer, Rooney, managed in his 120 appearances.
He has scored 65 competitive goals – 28 more than nearest rival Rooney – the most in all three of World Cup, European Championship and Nations League qualification, and a Three Lions record 15 tournament goals, five clear of Gary Lineker.
He’s the greatest. When he gets a chance, he scores.
Wayne Rooney
His astonishing 16 goals in 2021 was four more than any England player had ever scored in a single calendar year, while he scored more goals – 61 – for Gareth Southgate alone than any other player has in his entire Three Lions career.
Before Kane, the highest scoring captain was Edwardian era Vivian Woodward – also a Spurs star – who netted 23 times. Kane has 61 to his name while wearing the armband.
And he is on course in 2025 to finish the year as England top scorer for a record eighth time.
But the numbers alone, impressive as they are, do not do Kane justice.
He has nerves of steel and an irresistible belief that, when the opportunity comes, he will find the back of the net.
RESTLESS DESIRE FOR IMPROVEMENT
What is even more impressive is that, with every passing year, Kane has developed further.
Initially at Tottenham – and coming into the Premier League after what was a series of underwhelming loan spells at the likes of Leyton Orient, Millwall, Leicester and Norwich – he was a goal-hungry centre forward, a typical No 9.
Strong as an ox, yes – any centre-half knew they were in for a physical test and the list of those left shaken and ragged by that test was a long one.
But his constant evolution – aided by an at-times almost telepathic club understanding with Korean star Son Heung-min – saw Kane add strings to his bow with every passing campaign.
Rooney, for one, has no doubts, arguing: “He’s the greatest ever England number nine.
“He’s a goalscorer, he’s clinical but he’s clever in terms of the positions he picks up.
“And that’s something he’s developed that over the last few years. He knows he’s never been the quickest and might have lost a little bit of sharpness.
“But now he knows how to drop in, allowing runners off him, before he then gradually makes his way into the box. And when he gets a chance, he scores.”
INNER RADAR
That goal instinct is only part of the reason why Tuchel retained Kane as his captain when he took the job at the start of 2025.
Tuchel is dismissive of Kane’s relatively lowly 13th place in this year’s Ballon d’Or awards, insisting his skipper should have been in the top five.
He sees the pitch in a way that others do not, allowing him to open up a game with his passing range, utilising space and carrying a constant threat.
If a central defender lets him go, he runs the risk of Kane turning and finding the back of the net from 30 yards with either foot.
And if he tries to follow the striker, that leaves a gaping hole that Kane can thread the ball into, or suffer when he spreads wide and then times his drive into the danger area.
It is a range of skills recognised by his current club manager at Bayern, Vincent Kompany – who also has a few scars of his own from playing against Kane for Manchester City.
Kompany explained: “He’s always been a goalscorer, but he has opened up his game, with the way he drops back between the lines.
“In the end, that allows him to escape the attention of the defenders. And with that, he’s developing further, he’s a leader in the team.”
MUNICH MAGIC
Kane’s goal feats at Spurs meant he overtook the legendary Jimmy Greaves as the London’s club’s greatest scorer, netting 280 times in 435 games, with his 213 Premier League strikes surpassed by just Alan Shearer.
Yet since his move to Munich three seasons ago, Kane has taken those exploits up another notch.
In 106 games for the Bavarians, he has found the net 103 times – a truly phenomenal record in a major league.
His spot-kick record emphasises why he is the man all his managers want the big chances to fall to – he backs himself to deliver under the greatest pressure.
Of course, even the greats are fallible. Despite scoring one penalty against France – and then club-mate goalkeeper Hugo Lloris – in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, he sent his second effort soaring into the Qatari desert air.
But 18 months later, when England were given a soft penalty against Holland in the Euro 2024 semi-final, nobody had any doubt the ensuing effort from 12 yards would put Gareth Southgate’s side back on level terms.
Kane was nowhere near his best in Germany that summer, hampered by an injury exacerbated playing for Tuchel’s Bayern against Real Madrid.
But he still scored against Denmark, Slovakia and the Dutch and his mere presence puts any defence under stress.
It is why Tuchel has the ultimate trust. Why his team-mates listen to his demands. Why he is, as Rooney pointed out, England’s greatest.
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