Harry Kane leads England into the World Cup

Harry Kane leads England into the World Cup. Kane is England's record goalscorer with 78 goals in 112 games. His fitness will be Thomas Tuchel's biggest concern as they prepare to start their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June.

Kane's importance to England cannot be overstated, as proved when Thomas Tuchel's side were ominously toothless when drawing with Uruguay then losing to Japan in March friendlies at Wembley. Former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport: "Harry Kane is so important that if he announced his international retirement this afternoon, everyone would instantly view England's World Cup chances in a different, more pessimistic light."

As England's 'Mr Irreplaceable', Kane's stellar form and fitness suggest the time might be right for England and their talisman to overcome the barrier that has brought 60 years of pain. Kane has suffered the disappointment of losing successive European Championship finals with England to Italy and Spain, as well as a World Cup semi-final defeat by Croatia in 2018 and a quarter-final loss to France in Qatar.

Now, Kane has his sights set on delivering the biggest prize of all as he leads England on their latest quest to end the search for men's success stretching back to the 1966 World Cup win. England's countdown to their opening World Cup game continues when they play New Zealand in a friendly at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday.

Kane has been in remarkable form this season, scoring 64 goals in 56 games for Bayern Munich, and winning a second successive Bundesliga with the club. He also scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich beat Stuttgart 3-0 in the German Cup final. Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson says: "Kane is one player England can't do without. Irreplaceable. If England do well, it means Harry Kane's done well."

Kane's career has been marked by periods of barrenness, particularly during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, where he failed to win any major silverware despite his impressive goalscoring record. However, he is now making up for lost time, and his experience and leadership will be crucial to England's World Cup campaign.

Major tournaments have not always been kind to Kane, starting with Euro 2016 in France where he took more corners than he scored goals. However, he bounced back in the 2018 World Cup, winning the Golden Boot with six goals in six games. He was also England's top scorer in the Euro 2020 tournament, with four goals in seven games.

Despite his impressive record, Kane has faced criticism and disappointment in recent tournaments. He missed a penalty in the 2-1 defeat by France in the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup, and had a disappointing Euro 2024, where he was substituted in all of England's knockout matches.

As England prepare to face Croatia in their opening World Cup match, Kane's fitness and form will be under intense scrutiny. If he stays fit and continues to score goals, England's hopes of ending their 60-year wait for a major tournament win will soar. However, if he is injured or out of form, England's chances of success will be severely diminished.

In conclusion, Harry Kane is England's most important player, and his fitness and form will be crucial to their World Cup campaign. With his experience, leadership, and goalscoring ability, Kane has the potential to lead England to their first major tournament win since 1966. As former England striker Chris Sutton said, "Harry Kane is so important that if he announced his international retirement this afternoon, everyone would instantly view England's World Cup chances in a different, more pessimistic light."