Harry Kane driven by desire for records - England coach Thomas Tuchel

Harry Kane broke a 49-year record in September, where he became the fastest player to score 100 Bundesliga goals by his 98th league game. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Thomas Tuchel believes Harry Kane is being driven by a burning desire for milestone moments as he prepares to equal England’s appearance record against the Czech Republic.

Kane is all set to draw level with former England keeper Peter Shilton on 125 caps if he features in Tuesday’s Nations League fixture at Wembley.

This comes after Kane increased his lead as England’s record goalscorer, with a brace against Croatia in England’s 7-0 triumph pushing his tally up to 89.

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Kane also holds the record for Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer with 280 goals before he left the Premier League club to join Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga in 2023.

Since moving to Bayern, Kane has only soared higher, breaking a 49-year record in September, where he became the fastest player to score 100 Bundesliga goals, in his 98th league game. He also has two league titles to his name now with the German giant.

“I think all these number nines in the world, no matter in which league or in youth football, they are built a little bit differently,” Tuchel told reporters on Monday.

“They not only do it so that their team wins, but they also do it for themselves, they do it for the records .“How many can I score, how many can I assist, who is the best scorer in the league, who do I have to overtake, where is the next record?” He added.

“You will not find any goalscorer of this calibre who has not these individual goals set up and pushing him to the limit. So that is what drives him. That’s how Harry is built,”, Tuchel also observed.

His hot streak of form in 2026 has made him a credible contender for the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

“I’m not sure if I have any more words, because I feel like he scores all the time, he plays fantastic and he’s in the shortlist for (the) Ballon d’Or,” Tuchel said.

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“It’s just everything he does, he does it on the highest level, and he does it consecutively. Since he takes this major role for Bayern Munich, he found a new level, and it’s on and off the pitch highest level,” he concluded.

England currently sits second in group A3 of the UEFA Nations League with six points, three points behind Spain which leads the group with nine points.