England are one of the favourites to lift the World Cup this year, and if they are to bring glory home, Harry Kane will be at the heart of it.
The striker is in the form of his life. He’s just had the best scoring season of his career and finished as the leading goalscorer in Europe’s top five leagues, racking up 36 on his way to the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich. Thanks to numbers like that and adding more silverware to his name, he’s also a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or – not awarded to an Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001.
That’s the Three Lions’ captain. Heading into this World Cup, they have the most consistent striker in world football leading the team at his absolute peak.
It’s often not appreciated just how good Kane truly is. Perhaps his relentlessness in scoring stratospheric numbers at this high level has left fans numb to his impact. This summer, Thomas Tuchel needs to make the most of having the 32-year-old at the pinnacle of his powers.
The England goalscoring record of 49 was held for decades by Sir Bobby Charlton before Wayne Rooney broke it. Kane has smashed past that and is on 78 goals ahead of the pre-tournament friendlies.
He’s so reliable, and what England have this summer is Kane arriving in North America in incredible form off the back of another title-winning season in Germany.
His move to Bavaria has been to the benefit of England. Kane has improved and taken his game to the next level. Some of that will have to do with the phenomenal cast around him, but England also have outstanding players. Kane needs to deliver in the big games this summer, and in this form, there’s no reason to think he won’t.
In my opinion, he has been the best player in Europe this season and continued to grow into more than just a goalscorer or playmaker – he’s so important to all aspects of the game, and in all areas of the pitch. He has the ability to pop up and link play, start off attacks and, of course, finish them. All England’s talisman needs is one moment and he’s lethal in front of goal.
This season, Kane became the first Englishman to score at least 50 goals in all competitions for a top division side since Aston Villa’s Tom Waring in 1931. No English player has scored more in a Champions League season than Kane’s 14 this term.
As well as his staggering numbers and undeniable quality on the pitch, he has a natural leadership style. There are many ways to captain a side and everything that entails, and Kane’s impact cannot be underestimated. In the form he’s in, that status becomes elevated even further.
Since England’s last tournament, he has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles – that feeling of winning silverware regularly will only breed an even greater hunger for him to now do it with his country.
England have many reasons to be positive and are in a good place heading to the World Cup. After being runners up in the previous two European Championships and falling at the quarter-finals in Qatar four years ago, they’ll be expected to go deep into this tournament. They have excellent foundations built up by Gareth Southgate, a talented squad with some world-class players, and an elite manager in Thomas Tuchel who knows how to win major trophies. Add Europe’s most in-form striker and England should be confident.
Kane staying fit is vital to England’s hopes as it’s evident that without him, they’re a completely different team. They need to make the most of all these aspects aligning at the right time. Will Kane, who turns 33 just after the tournament ends, have another two or even four years at this peak level? Can he sustain this level of consistency up until the next Euros or World Cup? It feels like England need to strike while Kane is hot if they are to get their hands on the biggest prize in world football.
They have an exceptional squad, so it’s not unusual to hear other big names being mentioned as the key men for the Three Lions given that Tuchel has such an array of star talent, but over the next couple of months, Kane will not be ignored in that conversation.
If England do win the World Cup come July, they will have a special No.9 to thank for it.
