Doha, Nov 18 (EFE).- It’s a matter of time before Harry Kane becomes the top scorer in the history of the England team. The English striker is within reach of Wayne Rooney’s record and his greatest desire is to surpass him in Qatar, while at the same time giving the ‘Three Lions’ a second star.
Just two goals separate Kane (51) and Rooney (53), who holds the record as England’s top scorer since beating Bobby Charlton’s 49 goals in a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Switzerland in September 2015. .
Rooney’s last goal was on a painful date for the English team, precisely in that European Championship in France, when the United striker still scored the 1-2 against Iceland in the round of 16. That defeat, one of modern England’s biggest blunders, was also Rooney’s last goal in international cap and he made his mark at 53. The record is about to fall.
Kane only needs two goals to equal Rooney and three to surpass him. Affordable figures if we take into account the growing incidence of Kane in recent international tournaments. The 30-year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker has been asked to score more goals in big moments, and since Russia 2018 he has answered.
He didn’t score a goal at Euro 2016, but in Russia he scored a brace on his debut against Tunisia, a hat-trick against Panama in the second game and a goal against Colombia in the round of 16. He was left with the thorn in his side of not scoring in the quarter-finals, semi-finals or in the fight for third and fourth place. He was pleased to have won the World Cup Golden Boot, the first for an Englishman since Gary Lineker got it in Mexico in 1986.
His next stop was Euro 2020 (held in 2021), where he was criticized for not scoring a single goal in the group stage. However, the ‘Spurs’ forward struck back with a goal against Germany in the round of 16, two against Ukraine in the quarter-final and one against Denmark in the semi-final. He also scored his penalty in a shootout against Italy in the final, but the trophy went to Roma.
Since then, Kane has added thirteen goals to his England locker, including 10 in World Cup qualifying, one in friendlies and two in the disastrous Nations League to which England were relegated.
Kane, who is yet to win a single title with Tottenham, knows that given ‘Spurs’ situation, international football is the best possible chance to come close to silverware. This is confirmed by the semifinals in Russia and the final lost on penalties at Wembley a year and a half ago.
He will be captain in Qatar and will wear the ‘OneLove’ bracelet on his arm, the small gesture that nine captains will wear to denounce the injustices that are committed every day in this country.
Manuel Sanchez Gomez
(c) EFE Agency
