Right Striker: Harry Kane

Coauthored by Seth Johnson and Stephen Kirchner

Obtained from Google search “Harry Kane,” labeled for noncommercial reuse

Height: 180 cm

Weight: 65 kg

Senior Experience: 2009-present

Caps: 9

Club: Tottenham (English Premier League)

Season Statistics: 22 Goals; 1 Assist; 47 Tackles

Role and Projected Tournament Outlook:

With the decline of the Golden Generation nearing its end, Harry Kane is the shining example of the new era to come in England. This season in the English Premier League, Kane leads the league with 22 goals and on April 2, became Tottenham’s highest goal scorer in a single season, with six games still on the schedule (Bate, 2016). In a somewhat symbolic gesture of the changes to come in England, Kane made his debut for Hodgson’s squad by replacing Wayne Rooney in the second half of a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Lithuania. After entering the game, the Tottenham striker scored just 80 seconds later off a cross from Raheem Sterling, marking his first international goal (McNulty, “England,” 2015).

Despite just joining the national squad, Kane has already garnered nine caps, including five in qualifying for the 2016 Euros, where he notched three goals and one assist for the Three Lions (UEFA, 2016). His immediate impact was not only felt in the match against Lithuania in which he debuted, but also against San Marino and Switzerland, when he scored his other goals (McNulty, “Euro,” 2015).

With the mantle of a new English era up for grabs, Kane is poised to take the reigns in the front third from Rooney, especially if his recent success is any indication. With his breakout season for Tottenham and his ability to both score and tackle upfront—he has registered 47 tackles for the Hotspur this season—Kane has drawn comparisons to other historic forwards. In one comparison, his style of play was likened to former Tottenham forward and current U.S. national team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, which Kane called flattering in 2015 (Palmer, 2015).

How to cite this article: “Right Striker: Harry Kane” Written by Seth Johnson and Stephen Kirchner (2016), European Cup 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/european-cup-2016-guide/english-national-team/englands-projecting-starting-xi/right-striker-harry-kane/ (accessed on (date)).