Harry Kane is on the cusp of becoming England’s outright all-time top goalscorer, a record he currently shares with Wayne Rooney – and almost broke last year.
Few England fans will need reminding of how that played out, with Kane’s skied penalty dashing their hopes of knocking France out of the World Cup and ensuring the Tottenham striker would have to wait a few more months before reattempting to top this mightily impressive list.
That could well happen soon, with Kane looking to overtake Rooney when England play Italy on Thursday night in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier.
“We have seen in his performances for his club he has put it behind him,” England manager Gareth Southgate said this week of the costly spot-kick in Qatar.
England’s top 10 men’s goalscorers of all-time
- Wayne Rooney: 53 goals, 120 caps
- Harry Kane: 53 goals, 80 caps
- Bobby Charlton: 49 goals, 106 caps
- Gary Lineker: 48 goals, 80 caps
- Jimmy Greaves: 44 goals, 57 caps
- Michael Owen: 40 goals, 89 caps
- Nat Lofthouse: 30 goals, 33 caps
- Alan Shearer: 30 goals, 63 caps
- Tom Finney: 30 goals, 76 caps
- Vivian Woodward: 29 goals, 23 caps
“I know he will have added motivation to come back and show everyone what he is about again in an England shirt.”
Kane fronted up immediately after that penalty miss meant England were unable to force extra time against France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Any other player could have addressed the media after full-time, but Kane bore that responsibility in a move that typified why he wears the captain’s armband under Southgate.
“I can’t fault my preparation or anything like that, it was just the execution on the night,” he told ITV. “The first pen was great, the second one I didn’t quite hit it how I wanted to. I have to take it on the chin, it will hurt for sure, the whole game will hurt. As the captain, I’ll take that, but I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.”
Kane went on to say in January he would “remember it for the rest of my life”, but also made him “even more hungry to come back and be successful”.
And his club form since, despite the roller coaster that is Spurs under Antonio Conte, has outlined exactly that.
Kane scored four goals in Spurs’ first four games after the World Cup break, and now has 21 Premier League goals to his name this season in 28 games.
His league record in one campaign is 30, back in 2017-18, and so he has 10 more matches in that regard to achieve a Premier League-best, while Alan Shearer’s all-time record of 260 goals is also within his sights. Kane is currently on 204.
But first, the England record could be secured in the coming international break.
Kane has surpassed legend after England legend in the men’s standings, where only nine players have passed the 30-goal mark.
Among them are Shearer and Gary Lineker, with Kane passing Lineker’s tally of 48 England goals in March last year.
“Was nice having you for company,” Lineker tweeted. “Never thought it would last, but it was fun for a while.”
Was nice having you for company, @HKane. Never thought it would last, but it was fun for a while.
— Gary Lineker(@GaryLineker) March 26, 2022
Kane then scored his 50th England goal against Germany last summer, taking him past Sir Bobby Charlton with only Rooney left to beat.
He then moved level with Rooney on 53 goals when scoring his first penalty against France, having already scored at the World Cup against Senegal.
Of course, the penalty heartache followed, but soon the outright record will belong to Kane – that much feels inevitable.
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