Harry Kane and Gary Lineker has both been the leading lights for England but the former Match of the Day host accepts the Bayern Munich star is better than he was
Gary Lineker admits that Harry Kane is a better striker than he ever was, but does feel as though football is easier these days, largely because of the perfect playing surfaces.
Both men have been the main England strikers of their generation and they also chose to take their talents abroad at some point in their career. Lineker had a stint with Barcelona whilst Kane is now in the midst of a stellar spell at Bayern Munich, where he finally ended his wait for silverware.
Kane is the Three Lions’ record goalscorer with his international tally now sitting at 78 – some 25 clear of Wayne Rooney in second. Lineker is fourth on the list having scored 48 goals for the Three Lions.
The former Tottenham man has taken his game to new heights in recent years, moving away from being a traditional No 9 and showing an ability to drop deep into a playmaking role which allows him to dictate the game – which Lineker admits sets him apart.
He told the Evening Standard: “No, Harry Kane’s a better footballer than me. I was a pure penalty area goalscorer. I mean, I could do the essentials but Harry could play as a 10. He’s hitting 50 yard balls and great passes. I was quicker than Harry but there’s no question he’s a better player.”
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Kane became the first Englishman since Lineker to land the Golden Boot at a World Cup when he did so in 2018. Lineker had achieved the feat some 32 years earlier. He also emulated Lineker by scoring a World Cup hat-trick when he hit three goals past Panama.
The former Match of the Day host has claimed that the calibre of defenders in the modern game has dropped and also believes, if he had the chance to play in today’s conditions, he’d have been even more prolific despite scoring 283 times in his club career. “Oh God yes, football is so much easier now. The surfaces are like billiard tables,” he said.
The demand on strikers and the numbers they now produce has moved the dial, something Lineker himself admitted. Previously strikers were expected to score every other week with the 65-year-old only smashing the 30-goal barrier in a season on two occasions – Kane meanwhile has done so seven times.
“If you scored around one goal every two games in my era, you were one of the top strikers in football,” he said. “Now it’s pretty much a goal per game. That shows you how much the game has changed in favour of strikers.”
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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