Harry Kane makes sure it’s business as usual on his special night for England

As Manchester United again dominated the headlines with their latest managerial dice-roll, Harry Kane made sure he wouldn’t be overshadowed.

On a night that was all about England’s greatest goalscorer, on his record-breaking 126th cap, Kane made sure it remained all about Kane. And rightly so.

England’s No9 pulled the lever, scored the winner, and set up a tantalising showstopper on Sunday. Whoever wins between England and Spain this weekend will finish top of their Nations League group, and with it an easier quarter-final opponent in March.

Just 17 days after winning the Ballon d’Or, being crowned the finest footballer on the planet, Kane overtook Peter Shilton at Wembley to claim the all-time England appearance record for himself. Shilton, Kane’s family and Prince William were all on hand to celebrate with him.

Harry Kane

Getty

And how better to mark the occasion, than with the winning goal. A penalty struck down the middle was typical of a 33-year-old in a hurry to hunt down further records, still relentlessly hard-working and keen to prove that the autumn of his career can show him to be even more influential for club and country.

He has the most goals in England’s history, this his 92nd, and now the most caps, too; the England records just continue to tumble for Kane. Most goals at major tournaments. Most goals in a calendar year. Most appearances as captain. Most games won. Most, most, most, most.

Yet for a long time this was a night that was going England’s way, but not Kane’s. And then when Petar Susic seized on a Jarell Quansah mistake to equalise, the celebrations were at risk of ending early.

Enter Kane.

Harry Kane

Getty

The greatest players share that uncanny, and slightly freakish, ability to bend an occasion in their own direction. This was a night all about England paying tribute to its greatest player on the night, as he continues to do the business on the pitch.

Morgan Rogers’s goal assisted by Jude Bellingham in the first half was the outstanding moment of quality in the final third, but England were impressive in other areas, and Kane epitomised that.

A standout early moment saw him pop up at left-back to collect from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, he then angled a frankly ridiculous long, raking pass from right-back across the entire pitch diagonally for left winger Anthony Gordon.

And then he stayed calm amid the noise — all of it about him — to clip his penalty down the middle for his first goal, for club or country, since last month’s golden moment: his official recognition, less than nine miles away, as the greatest player in the world.