Harry Kane has broken the record for the most goals scored by an England player, with his 54th goal for the Three Lions coming in their 2-1 victory over Italy in Naples. The Tottenham striker surpassed Wayne Rooney’s tally of 53, and at the age of 29, he has plenty of time to add to his international tally and further cement his legacy within the game.
Despite the achievement, Kane was keen to focus on the positive result for England, saying during the post-match press conference: “Breaking the goalscoring record was always going to be a proud moment no matter what the circumstances, but for sure it feels that bit sweeter when you win and especially with our first win against Italy in a long, long time.”
England manager Gareth Southgate believes that Kane’s penalty was a fitting way to break the record and exorcise the demons of the World Cup quarter-final defeat against France, as he revealed the rousing reception Kane received from his teammates in the dressing room after the match.
Declan Rice also got on the scoresheet against Italy, but he was full of praise for Kane, calling him “the best in the world”. Rice said: “He works every day in training and he’s always out there. He’s always reliable, always gives 110 per cent and that’s why he’s the best in the world.”
Kane himself is coy about how many goals he will be able to get in an England shirt, but he is confident of putting the ball in the net for many years to come. He said: “Playing for England is probably my greatest feeling in football and I want to do it for as long as possible. For sure, as a striker I want to score in every game.”
Overall, Kane’s achievement is a testament to his skill and dedication, and it’s clear that he’s nowhere near done yet.