CAPTAIN of England. Destroying the history books in Munich. And ready to finally ensure football is “coming home”.
Harry Kane has already guaranteed he will leave a legacy that may never be repeated when he hangs up his boots.
But this summer, Kane can paint his portrait across the United States, demonstrating why, at 32, he is the most complete striker in the world game.
A scorer of great goals, as well as a great goalscorer.
And a player with vision, intelligence, power and a sense of destiny too.
For many in the past, the “weight” of the England shirt hung heavy. Expectations, demands, a yearning hope for a new story, frequently conspired to drag even the “Golden Generation” of David Beckham, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Wayne Rooney down.
Kane, by contrast, has led from the front to help establish a new England. One that has reached two finals and a semi-final in four tournaments – the best run in the nation’s history.
Not quite enough, yet, to take the final step. But building the sense that conquering that last peak is inevitable.
He has done it by sheer power of consistency and achievement, too.
Goals alone are a strong credential. Yet Kane does so much more.
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His England manager, Germany’s Thomas Tuchel, insisted: “Harry is undoubtedly the best striker of his generation. He has reached a new level and is now scoring two goals per game.
“With Harry, you can feel the confidence. He can carry Bayern and England effortlessly on his shoulders.”
Since making his debut – and scoring with his first touch of the ball in international football – against Lithuania in 2015 – Kane has completely rewritten the England scoring record charts.
His tally of 74 goals in 109 games is 21 more than the previous leading scorer, Rooney, managed in his 120 appearances.
He has scored 65 competitive goals – 28 more than nearest rival Rooney – the most in all three of World Cup, European Championship and Nations League qualification, and a Three Lions record 15 tournament goals, five clear of Gary Lineker.
He’s the greatest. When he gets a chance, he scores.
Wayne Rooney
His astonishing 16 goals in 2021 was four more than any England player had ever scored in a single calendar year, while he scored more goals – 61 – for Gareth Southgate alone than any other player has in his entire Three Lions career.
Before Kane, the highest scoring captain was Edwardian era Vivian Woodward – also a Spurs star – who netted 23 times. Kane has 61 to his name while wearing the armband.
And he is on course in 2025 to finish the year as England top scorer for a record eighth time.
But the numbers alone, impressive as they are, do not do Kane justice.
He has nerves of steel and an irresistible belief that, when the opportunity comes, he will find the back of the net.
What is even more impressive is that, with every passing year, Kane has developed further.
Initially at Tottenham – and coming into the Premier League after what was a series of underwhelming loan spells at the likes of Leyton Orient, Millwall, Leicester and Norwich – he was a goal-hungry centre forward, a typical No 9.
Strong as an ox, yes – any centre-half knew they were in for a physical test and the list of those left shaken and ragged by that test was a long one.
But his constant evolution – aided by an at-times almost telepathic club understanding with Korean star Son Heung-min – saw Kane add strings to his bow with every passing campaign.
Rooney, for one, has no doubts, arguing: “He’s the greatest ever England number nine.
“He’s a goalscorer, he’s clinical but he’s clever in terms of the positions he picks up.
“And that’s something he’s developed that over the last few years. He knows he’s never been the quickest and might have lost a little bit of sharpness.
“But now he knows how to drop in, allowing runners off him, before he then gradually makes his way into the box. And when he gets a chance, he scores.”
That goal instinct is only part of the reason why Tuchel retained Kane as his captain when he took the job at the start of 2025.
Tuchel is dismissive of Kane’s relatively lowly 13th place in this year’s Ballon d’Or awards, insisting his skipper should have been in the top five.
He sees the pitch in a way that others do not, allowing him to open up a game with his passing range, utilising space and carrying a constant threat.
If a central defender lets him go, he runs the risk of Kane turning and finding the back of the net from 30 yards with either foot.
And if he tries to follow the striker, that leaves a gaping hole that Kane can thread the ball into, or suffer when he spreads wide and then times his drive into the danger area.
It is a range of skills recognised by his current club manager at Bayern, Vincent Kompany – who also has a few scars of his own from playing against Kane for Manchester City.
Kompany explained: “He’s always been a goalscorer, but he has opened up his game, with the way he drops back between the lines.
“In the end, that allows him to escape the attention of the defenders. And with that, he’s developing further, he’s a leader in the team.”
Kane’s goal feats at Spurs meant he overtook the legendary Jimmy Greaves as the London’s club’s greatest scorer, netting 280 times in 435 games, with his 213 Premier League strikes surpassed by just Alan Shearer.
Yet since his move to Munich three seasons ago, Kane has taken those exploits up another notch.
In 106 games for the Bavarians, he has found the net 103 times – a truly phenomenal record in a major league.
His spot-kick record emphasises why he is the man all his managers want the big chances to fall to – he backs himself to deliver under the greatest pressure.
Of course, even the greats are fallible. Despite scoring one penalty against France – and then club-mate goalkeeper Hugo Lloris – in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, he sent his second effort soaring into the Qatari desert air.
But 18 months later, when England were given a soft penalty against Holland in the Euro 2024 semi-final, nobody had any doubt the ensuing effort from 12 yards would put Gareth Southgate’s side back on level terms.
Kane was nowhere near his best in Germany that summer, hampered by an injury exacerbated playing for Tuchel’s Bayern against Real Madrid.
But he still scored against Denmark, Slovakia and the Dutch and his mere presence puts any defence under stress.
It is why Tuchel has the ultimate trust. Why his team-mates listen to his demands. Why he is, as Rooney pointed out, England’s greatest.
SPEND five minutes in Seoul with Son Heung-min and you quickly realise he is the David Beckham of South Korea.
‘Sonny mania’ is quite something to witness in his home country, with frenzied fans mobbing him everywhere he goes, just like Goldenballs in, well, pretty much anywhere.
Now he is retracing Becks’ steps by moving to Los Angeles to light up the MLS.
And next summer, the winger is set to be the World Cup poster boy when football fever hits America in the way Beckham envisaged when he first went to LA Galaxy 18 years ago.
Many supporters Stateside are only just becoming acquainted with Son’s brilliance thanks to his electric form since joining LAFC from Tottenham in August.
The affable forward, whose K-Pop star good looks belie his 33 years of age, has already banged in eight goals in his first nine MLS appearances.
It has quickly endeared him to one of the most raucous fanbases in American football – soccer, that is, not gridiron – given how barmy the LAFC army can be.
One excited section of that fanbase would have known exactly what to expect.
The Tigers supporters group is majority Korean and a big part of the club’s culture.
LA itself has the largest Korean community in the US, making this the perfect place for Son to settle away from the Premier League.
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Over in England, and specifically in North London, Son’s status as one of the elite wingers in Prem history has long been established.
Joining from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 for a bargain £22million, Son went on to score a blistering 173 goals in 454 appearances.
He is without doubt the greatest Asian player to grace the English top flight.
And given the eye-watering commercial revenues he delivered Spurs, plus the fact the club basically got their money back a decade after buying him, he is arguably the most value-for-money signing in Prem history.
Ironically, Son toiled in his first season and had to be convinced by then-boss Mauricio Pochettino not to leave the club at the end of it.
After that, though, he flew.
The smiley forward formed a devastating partnership with England captain Harry Kane, where their combined Prem goals tally of 47 was a whopping 11 more than next best Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
Every Spurs home game would see an army of South Korean fans descend on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, often having made the pilgrimage from the far side of the world, to see a glimpse of their hero.
Spurs said in 2022 that shirt sales with ‘Son 7’ on the back would reach up to 700 on a home matchday.
It’s getting better and better every year. After the World Cup, it’s going to blow up again.
Nashville and ex-England U21 star Sam Surridge on MLS
While they also claimed back then that 12million of Korea’s 51m population were Spurs fans, underlining the power of their beloved No7.
Son insisted he could not be called a Spurs legend until he had won a trophy – even if his adoring supporters felt otherwise.
He became one in everyone’s eyes – even, he eventually admitted, his own – when he lifted the Europa League in May, ending Spurs’ 17-year silverware curse.
That allowed him to bow out on a high after ten memorable years of Spurs’ service – and now he has already put in some unforgettable displays in the city of Angels.
The move has proved to be an inspired one that is perfect for Son at this stage of his career.
Keeping pace with the hurly-burly of the Premier League was becoming increasingly harder for him last season and it is understood that around Christmas time he first started thinking of calling time in England.
The MLS may be a lesser level but with the great Lionel Messi playing over in Miami, it is growing all the time.
As former England Under-21 Sam Surridge, in the mix with Messi for the golden boot after blasting 23 goals for Nashville, told SunSport: “Since I’ve been here the standard has been getting better and better every year.
“After the World Cup, it’s going to blow up again.”
Son could well play a huge role in making that happen if he can lead Korea far in the tournament.
The smart money is on South Korea playing most of their games on the West coast – though the draw is not done until December to confirm this – given how much nearer that will be to the timezone their supporters will be in when watching from home.
You would expect plenty to make the trip over to North America for the tournament itself too, displaying the kind of banners and support for Son that they have been showing at LAFC and previously Spurs.
The interest in him in America has bordered Messi territory, with LAFC reporting about 34billion views across all social media channels when Son joined, an increase of 594 per cent.
His shirt has been selling like hot cakes – and his performances on the pitch have been living up to the iconic name on the back of those jerseys too.
Son looks revitalised by his move to the Golden State, playing virtually every minute for his new team, in stark contrast to his injury-interrupted final campaign at Tottenham.
Now his ardent supporters will hope he can deliver a golden summer for his nation on football’s biggest stage.
THE partner of a “kind and loving” mum has been jailed for life after he murdered her in his Manchester flat.
Depraved Leonard Lee Stewart, 55, killed Clare Marie Burns in the early hours of April 7 – and cops said the victim previously reached out for help.
Stewart did not attempt to perform CPR or come to Clare’s aid when emergency services arrived, police said.
Clare’s heartbroken family said in an emotional tribute to the mum: “Clare was a loving mother, auntie, sister and daughter.
“She was funny, outgoing and a very independent person. She was also kind, generous and friendly to anyone she met.”
Greater Manchester Police revealed they had previously visited Stewart’s home in Harpurhey before Clare’s death, after they received reports he had spat at her.
Clare disclosed that she was being abused by her partner, but felt unable to make a full report to authorities.
Local cops said: “In relation to this previous incident, we referred ourselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and await the conclusion of their investigation.”
Detective Inspector Emma Hulston said: “Firstly, our hearts go out to Clare’s family, who had her ripped away from them.
“They have been incredibly strong in the wake of tragedy, and I am pleased that they have not had to endure a lengthy trial, compounding their pain further.”
She added: “Now this case has come to its conclusion, I hope the sentence passed today serves as closure to all those who loved her.
“The actions of Lee Stewart were nothing short of cruel and despicable, and he must now spend the rest of his life in prison with that.”
Stewart pleaded guilty to Clare’s murder at Manchester Crown Court on September 24.
Police added: “Clare’s story is an example of violence disproportionately experienced by women and girls in our society, which we are committed to tackling.
“We would encourage anyone suffering from domestic abuse of any form, whether that be physical violence or otherwise, to come forward to us.”
Cops said those concerned about partners can make sure of the Clare’s Law scheme.
The Domestic Violence Disclosure enables police to release information about anyone’s previous history of violence or abuse.
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN demanded a new black ball during his win over Jak Jones at the Xi’an Grand Prix.
The Rocket was up 59-0 in the opening frame of the last-16 match against Jones in China when he noticed a problem with a ball as he prepared to take the shot.
As soon as he hit it, he immediately complained to officials about the ball, pointing and gesturing to it.
The official picked up the black ball to examine it as the veteran star was involved in a back-and-forth.
Eventually the seven-time world champion decided he was happy to use the ball for the rest of the frame but insisted he wanted a new one when it was finished.
He said: “I’ll use it now. Tell them to use it now. Then get me a new one.”
TNT Sports commentator Phillip Studd speculated about the nature of the problem and insisted O’Sullivan was “not happy”.
He said: “Again, O’Sullivan is not happy about the black ball.
“Maybe there is a very slight indentation on it, I am not sure. Perhaps they will change it.”
After play resumed, his co-commentator Fergus O’Brien added: “Yeah he is not happy with the black.
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“But he just said let me polish these balls off and then change it for the next frame, as you do.”
Studd added: “He is not one to have his rhythm disrupted happily, is he, O’Sullivan? Everything has got to be right.”
O’Sullivan went on to beat Jones 5-2 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Gary Wilson.
The 49-year-old is aiming to break his 21-month drought without a ranking title by winning the Xi’an Grand Prix, having reached the semi-final of last year’s competition.
Before his win over Jones, he said he could not allow his good form to distract him.
He said: “I feel like I’ve played great all season. But like I always say, this game has a way of humbling you.
“I’m very, very happy with my game, but talk to me in two, three, four weeks or two months – I’ll be ‘the game’s really hard, really difficult’.
“You can’t take this game for granted, you have to enjoy it while it’s good and when it’s not so good, you have to suck it up and just get through those periods.”
