Harry Kane Touted as England’s Greatest Player by Gary Neville Ahead of Euro 2024 Final
Harry Kane is set to lead his England team out at the UEFA Euro 2024 final against Spain on Sunday; the captain has been below is best but is still tournament’s joint-top scorer, despite pressure from Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney
Harry Kane, who plays for Bayern Munich, has Scored 3 goals in the tournament, including a crucial equalizer in the semi-final win over the Netherlands. However, it was Ollie Watkins, coming off the bench, who clinched the win with a dramatic last-minute goal. Similarly, Ivan Toney replaced Kane to great effect in the quarter-finals against Switzerland, scoring a no-look penalty that helped England advance on spot-kicks.
There have been suggestions that manager Gareth Southgate should consider dropping Harry Kane for the final in Berlin, but Neville firmly disagrees. Highlighting Kane’s record of nine knockout-stage goals at World Cups and European Championships – the most by any European player in history – Neville is confident in Kane’s irreplaceable value to the team.
Neville disagrees, pointing to the fact his 9 knockout-stage goals at FIFA World Cups or European Championships are the most of any European player in history.
“I spoke to Wayne Rooney four or five weeks ago before the tournament started and he said Harry Kane is the greatest England player ever,” Neville told Sky Sports News. “I wouldn’t fight to disagree with him.
“Harry Kane has been absolutely sensational. I always called him gold when he was at Tottenham, you just know full well that he’s going to deliver for you. He’s a solid character.
“I think he’s obviously below his best in this tournament, it does look like he is carrying something and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it emerged in a week or two that he’s had issues during the tournament with something that he’s trying to bandage up.
“You look at that record now and some of the greatest goalscorers of all time are on that list. Harry Kane is someone who will not be dropped by Gareth Southgate.
“I know there is a sense that people think we are better without him, but it wouldn’t send a great message to the squad internally. He’s very clearly their leader and Southgate has full, total faith in him.
“I also think if you’re the opposition team, he is England’s talisman. He’s the man who has gone over to Germany this year and has ripped it up from a goalscoring perspective.”
As well becoming the first England captain to lift a major trophy on foreign soil, Harry Kane could add the Golden Boot to the one he won at the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia.
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