England kicked off their World Cup campaign with a convincing 4-2 victory over Croatia, a match where captain Harry Kane netted a brace. However, despite his prolific start and established goal-scoring record, former Bayern Munich star Dietmar Hamann has voiced significant doubts about Kane’s ability to lead England to World Cup glory, particularly in the demanding knockout stages.
Kane’s two goals against Croatia were instrumental in securing all three points for England, who were level at 2-2 at the interval before Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford sealed the win. His brace also saw him draw level with Gary Lineker as England’s joint top scorer in World Cup history, both players now boasting 10 goals and having previously won the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Pace concerns for England’s leader
Speaking on RTE, Hamann, who also played for Bayern Munich, acknowledged Kane’s finishing prowess but questioned his overall impact when it matters most. He suggested that a significant portion of Kane’s World Cup goals—”seven or eight” of his 10—have come during the group stage, raising concerns about his effectiveness in high-stakes elimination matches.
“He is there to score goals in the knockout games, and the jury is out,” Hamann stated. “I want to see him do it in the last 16 against France and the last eight against Brazil, and whether he is capable of doing it, we don’t know yet. He hasn’t done it so far.”
Read also: JD Vance responds to San Francisco Giants uniform controversy
Hamann further elaborated on his reservations, pointing to the 32-year-old striker’s perceived lack of pace as a potential hindrance against elite opposition. “I’m sitting on the fence for now, but I have my doubts about him, whether he is the player who is taking England to the World Cup, because I think at some stage in a tournament, I think you need pace, and he simply hasn’t got it.”
While Hamann’s critique focuses on a perceived historical lack of knockout stage goals, Kane has, in fact, found the net in crucial moments. He scored against France in the 2022 World Cup knockout stages and also against the Netherlands in the 2024 European Championship knockout stages. However, Hamann’s comments underscore the intense scrutiny facing England’s captain as the team targets its second World Cup title, 60 years after their first.
Read also: World Cup Round 1: What have we learned?
