Harry Kane breaks England appearance record but can he take that final step to complete his career? | Football News

Some things are inevitable in life. Harry Kane delivering for England is always one of those inevitabilities. On his momentous, milestone match, he stuck to the script perfectly.

On his 125th cap, Kane did what Kane does best under the Wembley arch – stealing the show, leading the way, winning the game for England.

Everyone knew he would score in this match. It’s the same feeling you get in every match. But he still gets the buzz.

“I think this is even beyond my wildest dreams,” he said after the game. “To be now at 125, it’s just an extreme privilege.”

This match – and the three goals he contributed to England’s cause on his special night – was a perfect summary of Harry Kane’s England career.

The first goal saw him venture out to the right wing, highlighting Kane’s ability to pop up anywhere on the pitch. Quarterback, out wide, it doesn’t matter. It’s classic Kane.

But his two goals were classic centre-forward strikes. Right in the heart of the penalty area, almost a throwback to the classic No 9.

“He’s playing at a level that is unmatched,” said Jude Bellingham on Kane’s record-breaking night. “He’s scoring goals for fun, he’s dropping deep and playing passes in behind and contributing, making tackles and everything. He’s only getting better.”

What makes Kane’s achievement even more incredible is he has reached 125 caps despite making his England debut at 21. For a generational talent in the modern game, that’s somewhat rare. Bellingham, for example, was 17 when he played his first game.

Kane did not have the teenage sensation moment Wayne Rooney or Micheal Owen had. Bukayo Saka and Rio Ferdinand were also 19 on their England debuts. Declan Rice and Phil Foden were 20. Kane was the slow starter who forged his way up through the EFL and became a national hero.

And what has followed is 125 caps in 11 years. The remarkable consistency is summarised by his availability. He’s always there for England.

In England’s last 101 competitive matches – which spans a decade – Kane has been available for selection for all but one of them: the Nations League loss to Greece in 2024.

Every single other game, he has been able to be called upon for the Three Lions. A century of near-perfectly consistent England performances over the span of a decade.

“For sure there’s times I’ve played through the pain”, he said. “I think every player at some stage plays through the pain or niggles or some sort of injury.

“I think the last six years or so I’ve been extremely consistent in that sense and been available. I think availability is one of the biggest strengths you can have at this level.”

Now it’s important to recognise that Kane hasn’t always been 100 per cent fit in those 100 matches. The Euro 2024 campaign and final spring to mind where he was clearly carrying something but playing through the pain.

But his predecessor at the England elite level in Rooney was riddled with injury sagas through his career – Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup especially.

The main image of his 2010 World Cup highlight reel was him shouting down the TV cameras to England fans, then he faded out of form in 2012, 2014 and 2016 – to the point where he was no longer the main man. Kane has shown the consistency Rooney never could.

Now Rooney, Owen and Co were part of a different generation where playing for England was not as attractive as it is now. Turning up regularly for international duty was not as common, with the ‘club first culture’ well-documented on many levels.

But then again, Kane’s big night came on the same evening that Cristiano Ronaldo revealed his reasons for leaving the Portugal camp. Even the very best can easily turn away from the national team for any reason. Kane has never even given a glimmer of that attitude in his 11 years.

“To reach the highest level on a consistent basis you’ve always got to be hungry, you’ve always got to be striving for more,” he said.

“I think sometimes players or people can reach the top and think it’s time to take their foot off the gas and that’s when you see players maybe fall.

“For me it’s the opposite. When I’m at the top it’s to do even more, find even more improvement. That’s what I’m doing right now.”

Kane is the exemplary player England needed for this generation – but all that remains is for him to confirm his place as the greatest player in any generation.

Is he already England’s best? Quite possibly. Record appearance maker and goalscorer is hard to top and argue against. But the one thing Ronaldo, Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore have over him is silverware at international level. “For sure I’d swap all [the caps and goals] to win something with England.”

But Kane also said: “Every player has a ceiling.” What is his? Has he already reached it? “I hope not. I hope there’s still more to go. I guess only time dictates that, where everyone’s ceiling is.

“Right now I still feel like I’ve got room to improve. I just said that I’ve come off the back of my best season ever at 32 years old and right now I feel even in a better place.”

There is still plenty for him to get. Kane is first eyeing up 100 goals at international level, joining a very elite club of strikers to manage that feat. He will surely get there.

“I try not to think about it too much,” he said, with a sense of humility. “It’s like being a cricketer in the 90s, the more you think about the 100, you don’t know where to get there.

But in this all-time great innings – as well as the upcoming Ballon D’Or trophy, which he surely has more than half a chance for – delivering a first major international trophy since 1966 is the ultimate prize.

Kane has at least one more bite at the trophy cherry. He looks set to appear at Euro 2028 and possibly he can squeeze out one last crack at the World Cup, following this summer’s disappointment.

“I’m in great shape,” he said. “Some of the players I’ve played with went into their late 30s and are still at the highest level and are even in their 40s now. It’s season by season with me.

“As long as I feel like I can help the team and be valuable for the team I’ll be around. At the moment I feel like I can’t help the team, I won’t and that’s the way I am. We’ll have to see.”

For now, one message stands with Kane. “Don’t give yourself any regrets.” He has done so much – but it’s time for the last, big challenge. Win it all. Win what remains.