Harry Kane will become England's all-time most-capped player on Thursday night, Sky Sports writes. Should he also be hailed as England's greatest ever?
Kane's Ballon d'Or win last month solidified his status as the world's best player over the past year. Whether he should also claim the title of his country's greatest ever is certainly a hot topic, especially considering legendary figures like Bobby Charlton (another Ballon d'Or winner) and Bobby Moore (another legendary captain) both have World Cup titles.
However, even without that coveted team trophy, Kane's individual record is compelling enough.
Interestingly, when we asked Sky Sports readers in October after his 125th appearance for the Three Lions, they voted for Kane. Out of nearly 100,000 respondents, 49% chose Kane.
A major tournament title would undoubtedly elevate him to an unquestionable level. Unfortunately, despite experiencing two European Championship finals — one decided by penalties at Wembley Stadium — and the heartbreak of two World Cup semi-finals, the national team trophy has eluded him so far.
After transferring to Bayern Munich and ending his club trophy drought, Kane clearly hopes to bring success to England in the later stages of his career. Perhaps the Nations League will be where he and his teammates break this long trophy drought? England has almost secured a quarter-final spot in March, and they can deliver a strong performance against Croatia and Spain this week.
However, even without an England major tournament title, Kane's remarkably high goal count, consistency, leadership, and versatile abilities are enough to place him on a pedestal. Before kickoff against Croatia, he deserves the respect and admiration due to him.
Kane is almost certain to start, which would bring his national team appearances to 126, one more than legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
The frequency of international matches is certainly higher now, but Kane's relentless drive is still commendable. He always craves to be on the pitch, chasing goals, and this is reflected in the statistics. In England's last 101 official matches, he has only missed one, which was a loss to Greece in the 2024 Nations League.
Experiencing highs and lows is inevitable – and he has endured considerable criticism even before this week's likely commemorative evening.
The regret of Charlton and Moore's World Cup victories continues, but England has never been this close in the Kane era. Whether it was reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, or being overturned by Argentina in the US and ultimately finishing third in the World Cup, Kane has always been a central figure.
At times, he has faced harsh scrutiny, especially that summer when he seemed somewhat fatigued from the intensity of the previous season.
There have also been agonizing misses — such as a close-range opportunity against Croatia in that World Cup semi-final, or the second penalty against France in the 2022 World Cup, where he could have forced extra time but kicked the ball over.
But more often, there are goals, and many of them. For years, Charlton's 49 goals stood as the England player record. Wayne Rooney barely surpassed it with 53 goals at the end of his career, while Kane has long since left that number far behind. His national team goal tally has reached 91 and is still growing, with his scoring prowess remaining one of the most prolific phases of his career.
On his 125th appearance against the Czech Republic, he added two more goals. The Croatians also suffered two blows at his feet in that astonishing 7-0 victory in October, and now they will be wary of the England captain applying pressure once again.
With the long-awaited Ballon d'Or in hand, Kane seems to be at his peak: he can score himself, create chances for teammates, and initiate attacks from deep. A true all-around superstar.
On Thursday, these peaks he has reached will be recognized. What is certain is that Kane and England fans will want to know if he and this team can push for those truly coveted major awards.