Harry Kane's transformation at the 2026 World Cup
June 22, 2026 · TaegeukGoal
Alan Shearer highlights Harry Kane's transformation at the 2026 World Cup, his goalscoring ability and fitness compared to previous tournaments.
Harry Kane has barely had one shot on target after four games and 269 minutes at the 2022 World Cup. At the time, he looked tired early in the tournament and felt he needed rest after England's first two matches. But in this competition, the situation was completely different. He is feeling his best, scoring twice in a 4-2 win over Croatia. The last thing a striker wants in a major competition is to get off to a good start. I had the experience of getting off to a good start in the first match against Tunisia in the 1998 World Cup. Honestly, the win was a huge relief to the team and I was feeling the pressure to score as captain and main scorer. So we know Harry Kane will feel the same way this Wednesday. He sat with the England team all week, watching other matches and seeing superstars such as France's Kylian Mbappe, Norway's Erling Haaland and Argentina's Lionel Messi score two goals each. Kane was desperate to score in his first game and scoring his first goal after 12 minutes meant a lot to him and England. Kane's first shot in Qatar was when he scored against Senegal in the round of 16. This time he feels good from the start and he already knows what will happen if he gets off to a good start like he did at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. England finished the toughest match in the group, followed by Ghana and Panama. His eyes will sparkle. Aside from his goals, I'm really happy that Kane is in top form. After a slow start in Qatar, I felt he was not 100% fit for Euro 2024 and the team's tactics did not allow him to bring out his best form. Every time he went deep to collect the ball, there was no player in front to receive the pass, which reduced England's attacking space. However, things changed under coach Thomas Tuchel. England is using Kane like Bayern Munich. Coach Tuchel knows Kane well and knows how to use him. He understands he is vital to England's hopes in this tournament. When he went out to collect the ball against Croatia, Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon were behind him, ready to cause problems for defenders. But the biggest change is Kane himself. He's still playing the same way, but looks healthier and stronger this time. He has had a great season at Bayern Munich, scoring 61 goals and looking sharp and confident. Those numbers are truly staggering. Kane said in a recent interview that he has scored 20 more goals this season. Thanks to this kind of scoring ability, England's hopes can't help but be focused on him. He has a lot of responsibility as team captain, but he is enjoying it. Kane is also working hard on defense for England, and in a recent game he blocked a shot a yard wide of his own goal line in the last minute. But he still didn't stop at scoring. Although he was lucky with his second penalty kick against Croatia, he showed that he was mentally strong. I have experienced two penalty kicks in the World Cup, but it is very difficult to stand in the same position again. Before kicking the second penalty kick, many thoughts pass through my mind. You try to predict what the opposing goalkeeper will do, and he tries to read your choices as well. In such situations, you have to fight against negative thoughts about mistakes. It's incredible how Kane overcame everything to score his second penalty kick from exactly the same spot as the first. And his header, it was a fantastic header. Firstly, there was a good cross from Delclan Rice, and while Croatia's defense was poor, Kane made the most of the opportunity. He read the ball's trajectory quickly and finished it perfectly. After such a fast start, Kane will of course be thinking of another World Cup Golden Boot. Any striker would think that way in that situation. He is one of three players to wear a special patch in this tournament, along with France's Mbappe and Colombia's James Rodriguez. I know the goalscorer's mentality and there is no doubt that Kane will be desperate to win a second Golden Boot. The same goes for Mbappe, and Messi and Haaland are also aiming for this award. These are all great scorers, but they have different styles. But what they have in common is that their teams are prepared to get the most out of them. England are now in it for Kane too. So the competition began. It's still too early, but I'm really happy that Kane is competing. He needs to be at his best if we are to go far in this World Cup.