Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Greg Johnson

When Harry Kane will overtake Man United legend Wayne Rooney's England record

After his third hat-trick for England, Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is well on track to overtake his country's all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney.

The former Everton and Manchester United forward needed 115 caps to bag 120 goals.

He ended his international career in 2018 with 120 England appearances to his name - more than any other outfield player.

Only goalkeeper Peter Shilton boasts more games for the Three Lions with 125 caps.

Kane scored his 29th, 30th and 31st goals in his 44th appearance for his country in a dominent 7-0 win over Montenegro at Wembley stadium.

Alasdair Gold: It highlights the mess that Pochettino is having to navigate

It was a performance to leave him only 22 goals off Rooney's record but it took the former England captain 77 games to reach the Tottenham star's current total.

That means Kane is already well ahead of schedule. In fact, his strike rate for England now stands at an impressive 0.71 goals per game.

Compare that to Rooney's strike rate of 0.46 as he reached his 53rd goal. By the time of his final cap, that strike rate had dipped to 0.44.

If Kane can stay at this level for his country, he should need only 33 games to overtake Rooney with his 77th cap.

So far, the 26-year-old has played 44 England games in five years.

Harry Kane celebrates scoring his third goal against Montenegro at Wembley Stadium. (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Assuming he faces Kosovo in the second international match of the November break, that would add up to 45 games in five years, or an average of nine England games per year.

Therefore, Kane should become England's record goalscorer with 54 goals in 77 caps by mid-to-late 2023.

His current rate of 0.71 goals per game also puts Kane above most of his historical competitiors.

Gary Lineker is currently ranked as the third-highest goalscorer ever for England with 48 goals in 80 caps or 0.60 goals per game.

Michael Owen is fifth-placed among the national team's top goalscorers with 40 goals in 89 caps or 0.45 goals per game.

Alan Shearer is joint sixth in the running of the country's top goalscorers with 30 goals in 63 caps or 0.48 goals per game.

However, former Chelsea and Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves has a strike rate which Kane cannot match.

The 79-year-old retired from international football in 1967 having scored 44 goals in 57 games, and helping England to lift the World Cup in 1966.

Kane would have to up his own performance levels to match his predecessor's strike rate of 0.77.

If he were to match Greaves, he would need to play only 29 games to overtake Rooney.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.