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When Jude Bellingham declared Harry Kane was England’s greatest player, my first reaction was: “Steady on there, Jude.” Sir Bobby Charlton, a World Cup, European Cup and Ballon d’Or winner, has stood alone for six decades. It is impossible to imagine any current England player getting close. Until now.
The more I have considered what Bellingham said, the more I have come to realise that he has a valid point. Ultimately, the difference between Kane and Charlton is not a question of the indisputable individual brilliance of two superstars – it is about the quality of the supporting cast. Kane’s candidacy to be England’s best of all time will be generally dismissed unless he has the same success wearing the Three Lions. In truth, his consistent excellence at a time when England lag so far behind the elite serves to highlight why by the end of his career he might stand apart. For us, Kane in 2026 is exactly what Charlton was to the country 60 years ago – the beacon of hope which made the supporters believe we can finally win a major tournament. Sadly, he does not have Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks or Alan Ball alongside him to make those dreams a reality. Bobby Charlton (holding trophy) played in a team of greats when England won the World Cup in 1966 Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
In a stronger England era – with more world-class players around him like the Manchester United legend had in 1966 – Kane would not only have a chance of matching Charlton. He would be in a better position to eclipse him. Given his form and status, the World Cup should be in Kane’s sights. If the vote for the Ballon d’Or was being held right now, Kane would be the worthy winner, his heroics for England against DR Congo absorbing his 72nd goal of this season. Only Lionel Messi has recently hit those kinds of numbers. Not even Cristiano Ronaldo was so prolific in one campaign. Wednesday’s match also marked the 91st time Kane had captained England, surpassing Moore’s tally. Until he joined Bayern Munich, the biggest obstacle to Kane winning the biggest prizes in football was the team he played for. All those years when he suffered the jibes for never winning anything had nothing to do with his ability. Right now, Kane must think playing for England is similar to playing for Tottenham Hotspur, when he knew that no matter how many he scored, or how close he was to a 10/10 individual performance, he would miss out on winners’ medals. The rest of the team was nowhere near good enough. The difference is he could leave Spurs for Bayern and join a club more likely to match his abilities and ambitions. After scraping into the round of 16, we must be realistic and accept that our chances of winning the World Cup are remote. With Kane in such form, there is still the slimmest hope. Without him, we would be flying home already. Based on the past 12 months, Kane should win the Ballon d’Or. Unfortunately, he probably won’t because in a World Cup year it is bound to go to the star player of the winning nation. Much as I want to believe England can still win it, there is nothing to support that opinion, especially after recent performances. If Argentina retain the cup, Messi will win the Ballon d’Or. If France win the competition, one of their key men will get it. Kane’s Bayern team-mate Michael Olise is a strong contender, and even though by Kylian Mbappé’s standards he has had a frustrating year with his club, that will be forgotten when judged against his fantastic World Cup displays. Another of the Paris St-Germain stars might be celebrating a personal accolade, even though their Champions League win felt more of a team effort than the consequence of one outstanding contribution. Ousmane Dembélé has enjoyed another fantastic season. Kane’s goal output is beyond them all. He is performing at the same level as France’s best and Messi, going toe-to-toe in the Golden Boot race.
That is why Bellingham is correct to start the conversation about where Kane ranks, even though most judges will say he needs to win his next four games in an England shirt to make it on to Charlton’s pedestal. If by some miracle England do go on to win the World Cup this month, given the context and the influence on this generation, what player will have done more for our country in dragging what looks like an average team to the ultimate heights? That he is still producing his best 11 years after his England debut is freakishly good. Two years ago, Kane was subbed during the Euro 2024 final and it was the right decision by Gareth Southgate. It did not feel like the end of his international career, but the beginning of the end. Harry Kane was replaced by Ollie Watkins in the European Championship final defeat by Spain . Nothing stirs my blood in football more than a brilliant player with the strongest character and mentality, defying expectations. This is why I have loved watching Kane as much in the second half of his career, when he has been forced to reinvent himself playing deeper, as when he was a more traditional No 9. A few years ago the question was asked as to where Kane stood in the list of great England strikers, alongside Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney. He has blown those arguments away. His double on Wednesday reaffirmed that he could still deliver when his country most needs it, rather than slowing down like most strikers in their 30s. The most gifted come up with majestic moments Kane is among those who have underlined my long-held view that league titles and the Champions League are all about the most strategic, world-class coaches getting the most from their players, international tournaments are all about the world-class footballers. Whatever happens to England from here, Thomas Tuchel is one of the best managers of his generation. And yet there he was, 15 minutes from ignominy. One of the true greats saved him, because that is what World Cups are about – the most gifted coming up with these majestic moments. Thomas Tuchel and harry Kan It is little wonder that Thomas Tuchel embraced Kane at full time – the Bayern Munich forward may have saved the England head coach his job If Tuchel leads England to a position from which he gets the chance to lead us into the European Championship, we must hope he has already learnt his most valuable lesson: never leave your most talented game-changers at home. When the clock was ticking, Tuchel must have wished he had better options on his bench. Everyone watching did. The longer this tournament has progressed, the more his squad has resembled those picked by Graham Taylor in the early 1990s: full of workmanlike, solid professionals who could do a job week in, week out in the English league, but lacking the stardust that defines matches on the biggest stage. Kane is obviously an exception. Sadly, as was written after the group stage, relying on him or Bellingham is unsustainable. The argument can rage as to whether the captain is England’s greatest footballer. When it comes to determining who possessed most self-belief and ability to bend a match to his will, there is no debate at all.
