‘True great’ Harry Kane set to break England appearance record

LONDON – England captain Harry Kane is set to cap his golden year by breaking the Three Lions’ appearance record in their Nations League clash with Croatia on Nov 12.

When Kane leads England out at Wembley to earn his 126th cap, he will surpass the previous record held by former goalkeeper Peter Shilton since 1990.

It will be the latest landmark moment in a incredible 12 months for the Bayern Munich striker, who became the first English player in 25 years to win the Ballon d’Or in October.

Kane’s pride at securing that prestigious award was palpable during his emotional acceptance speech at the glitzy London ceremony.

Taking sole possession of the England cap record will serve as an exclamation point on Kane’s year to remember, underlining the 33-year-old’s remarkable durability and consistency.

He is England’s record scorer with 91 goals and also holds Tottenham Hotspur’s all-time mark with 280.

Since leaving his boyhood club to join Bayern in 2023, Kane has taken his game to another level.

He has amassed 156 goals for the German club, finally winning the first silverware of his career with Bundesliga titles in 2025 and 2026.

Kane has also developed as a leader, a quality he reportedly showed by making clear his frustration at England boss Thomas Tuchel’s defensive tactics during the World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in July.

Tuchel packed England’s defence in a bid to hold onto a 1-0 lead but Argentina took advantage to score twice in the closing stages, denying Kane his first World Cup final appearance.

In clear-the-air talks prior to the international break in September, Kane is said to have led the squad in a spirited discussion with Tuchel over his tactics.

‘Ultimate professional’

As an England teammate of Kane’s and an adversary in the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah has a special appreciation for the striker.

Kane is the first Bundesliga player to secure the Ballon d’Or since Matthias Sammer in 1996.

“The whole Bundesliga, to be honest, are super happy because they’ve not had a winner for so long. They’ve obviously taken to him so well, and everyone knows his quality,” Quansah told the BBC this week.

“He’s a scary player to play against. No-one wants to play against him. He’s almost certain to get a goal every week, and everyone knows his quality.

“I think he’s had a few nice receptions from different crowds as well, which is always nice.”

From the moment he scored within 79 seconds of making his England debut as a substitute against Lithuania in 2015, Kane has been to the manor born on the international stage.

He would dearly love to become the first male England captain to lift an international trophy since Bobby Moore cradled the 1966 World Cup.

He has already experienced the heartache of losses in the European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024.

But, regardless of the quest for silverware, Quansah sees the way Kane carries himself around the camp and has no doubt about his status as an England legend.

“He’s an ultimate professional and he’s done everything. It’s the standards he sets off the pitch,” he said.

“He will always be the first outside for meetings. He’s always waiting for the squad to get together. He’ll never let the squad do anything by themselves.