91 goals and 21 assists in 125 appearances, surely there has to be debate as to whether or not Harry Kane is England’s greatest ever player.
But what defines greatness?
Is it the fact that a player scores loads of goals and creates assists?
Is it because he helps the team win trophies?
Is it the ability to turn up in the big moments?
Or is it a combination of all of those things?
The fact that Kane fits into most of those categories suggests that he is close to eclipsing that; however, should a player be judged solely on winning silverware?
When people often say “Well, he’s never won anything with England, sometimes they forget that football is a team sport, rather than an individual sport.
Is it his fault England went ultra-defensive after going 1-0 up against Argentina?
Did Sir David Beckham or Wayne Rooney even reach a Final? Kane played in two and has a World Cup Bronze medal.
Club Success Beyond Silverware
The fact that he won the Bundesliga in his second season at Bayern Munich under Vincent Kompany is a testament to his attitude and hunger for success.
After 14 years at Tottenham Hotspur, a club not known for consistently delivering trophies, it’s incredible that he remains their top scorer, with 280 goals.
It shows that you don’t need to chase success; if you work hard and have tremendous self-belief, success will chase you.
Success in club football isn’t only about trophies. You can also learn from the coaches you play under.
The fact that Kane has played under Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and Thomas Tuchel, who is now with him at England, shows he can adapt to different ways of playing.
It also shows that he has tremendous respect for the greats of the game.
Ballon d’Or Talk
As there has been a lot of conversation about him being a Ballon d’Or winner, you would think it is a matter of time before he accomplishes that.
With the 2026 ceremony taking place on 26 October, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are the favourites; surely he has to be in the conversation as well?
England didn’t win the World Cup or reach the Final, but he had a massive impact on their route to the Bronze medal.
He saved them from a humiliating exit in the Round of 32 against DR Congo, scoring twice in the final 15 minutes to win 2-1, from 1-0 down.
Stanley Matthews, the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner, won the award with just one major piece of silverware.
Should Kane win, he would be the seventh name on the exclusive list of British legends to have won this award. A list that includes George Best, Denis Law, Sir Bobby Charlton, Michael Owen, and Kevin Keegan.
So, is Kane England’s greatest ever player? He certainly is in the conversation to be so.
What are your thoughts on this debate?
Let us know in the comments below on World In Sport.
