Harry Kane feels underappreciated despite his record-breaking goal tally and remains determined to achieve individual and team success with England and Bayern Munich.
As England’s all-time leading scorer with 69 international goals, Kane continues to deliver exceptional performances. He is set to lead the Three Lions in their World Cup qualifier against Albania at Wembley, marking the beginning of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure as head coach.
Kane’s prolific form for club and country remains undeniable, having scored an impressive 76 goals in 82 appearances for Bayern Munich. However, despite these remarkable statistics, he has faced criticism, particularly in the German media, regarding his performances in the Bundesliga.
As he continues to prove his worth on the international stage, Kane has expressed frustration over the lack of recognition for his consistent goal-scoring achievements.
“It’s like when [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi were throwing these crazy numbers out there and the next season they’d score 40 goals instead of 50. It was like they were having a bad season,” Kane said in an interview.
“People take it for granted and maybe a little bit with England as well. I’ve scored 69 goals, and when you score against Albania or Latvia, or these teams, people just expect it, so it’s not spoken about so much,” he added.
The Bayern Munich forward believes age also influences how his achievements are perceived. Having played for the England senior squad since 2015 and dominated for nearly a decade, he feels that fans and media have become accustomed to his goal-scoring exploits.
“If I was 25 now and doing what I’m doing, the excitement around me would maybe be a little bit different to what it is now. That’s part of where we are with football. I’ve seen it with some other players as they get into their 30s,” Kane reflected.
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has consistently been held to high standards and compared with some of football’s greatest players. However, he has yet to secure major individual accolades like the Ballon d’Or.
Michael Owen remains the last English player to win the prestigious award in 2001, but Kane believes his move to Bayern Munich in 2023 has strengthened his chances of winning it.
“Just being at a club like Bayern Munich has helped push me on even more, confidence-wise and responsibility-wise,” he explained.
The England captain insists he has improved since arriving in Germany, benefiting from playing at one of Europe’s most successful clubs and competing on the biggest stages.
“I feel like I’ve definitely got better, I’ve improved, and maybe the ‘aura’ of me as a player is a bit more respected than what it has been in the past, because you’re playing in big games, big nights,” he said.
Kane understands that individual honors are closely tied to team success, acknowledging that winning major trophies is essential to being a serious Ballon d’Or contender.
“I felt that last season as well, I scored over 40 goals, but obviously, I was never going to win the Ballon d’Or because we didn’t win the team trophies,” he admitted.
With Bayern Munich competing for domestic and European silverware, Kane sees a clear path toward achieving his dream of being recognized as the world’s best player.
“For something like that, you have to win enough team trophies to be considered in that and probably score 40-odd goals, but that is a possibility this season. That is definitely something I would love to try to achieve,” he concluded.
The road ahead presents Kane with a golden opportunity to cement his legacy. Whether it is leading England in the World Cup qualifiers or striving for silverware with Bayern Munich, Kane remains focused on proving his doubters wrong one goal at a time.
