Harry Kane’s remarkable World Cup form has him in the conversation as world’s best

Harry Kane’s remarkable scoring streak for England at the World Cup has reignited debate over whether the Three Lions captain has become the best footballer on the planet. According to the Standard, Kane’s double against DR Congo took his tally to 72 goals in 62 matches for club and country this season, a return bettered only by Lionel Messi’s 82 goals in 2011-12.

The Standard reports that the 32-year-old, who turns 33 later this month, has now scored 84 goals for England, matching the tally set by the legendary Ferenc Puskas for Hungary. Kane also overtook Pele for World Cup goals by netting his 13th, doing so in just 15 games — a faster rate than Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pele managed on the biggest stage.

Mourinho’s honest assessment

The piece recalls a conversation between Kane and Jose Mourinho during the manager’s second day in charge at Tottenham Hotspur, when Kane was 26 and the reigning World Cup Golden Boot winner but not yet regarded as world class outside England. Mourinho reportedly told him: “I have no doubt: you are a winner,” while suggesting that “the movie stars of football belong to other places” and that “my dimension is universal”, adding “we have to build your status in that direction.”

Six years on, the Standard notes that Kane has built that status largely through his own graft rather than any outside intervention, refining his all-round game while remaining relentlessly effective in front of goal.

Trophy drought finally ended

Despite his statistical dominance, silverware eluded Kane for years — it took until last summer’s Bundesliga title win with Bayern Munich for him to land the first trophy of his career, following two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final with England.

Speaking after England’s pre-tournament friendly win over New Zealand, Kane said: “Physically and mentally it’s the best shape I’ve been in, in my career.” The Standard contrasts this with Euro 2024, when a back injury hampered him and led to calls for him to be dropped in favour of Ollie Watkins, despite Kane still ending that tournament sharing the Golden Boot.

England’s greatest-ever?

The article argues that Kane’s enduring consistency sets him apart from previous England greats such as Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Paul Gascoigne, Glenn Hoddle, Frank Lampard and David Beckham, whose influence at major tournaments tended to fade as their careers progressed. By contrast, Kane’s impact has continued to grow with age, prompting comparisons with Sir Bobby Charlton as England’s greatest-ever player.

With Kylian Mbappe and his Bayern Munich team-mate Michael Olise also in scintillating form for France at the World Cup, the debate over the world’s best player remains live. But as the Standard makes clear, Kane’s numbers this season — allied to his growing influence on England’s push for a first major trophy in decades — make his case as strong as it has ever been.

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