England manager Gareth Southgate has praised striker Harry Kane for his record-breaking achievement in Thursday’s 2-1 success over Italy.
Kane rifled home from the penalty spot to double his side’s lead in the first half – his 54th strike for the Three Lions to become England’s all-time highest goalscorer surpassing Wayne Rooney’s tally of 53 goals.
The 29-year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker also achieved the feat in 81 appearances, 39 less than it took his predecessor Rooney (120 games).
“To break the record in the manner that he did given the recent history was an indication of his strength and character and his mentality, and I couldn’t be happier for him,” Southgate said on Kane’s achievement (via Football Daily).
“He is a brilliant professional, and to do it as quickly as he has with a lot of his career still to go is an incredible achievement, so huge credit to him.”
Kane’s goal was enough for Southgate’s side to see off the Italians despite Mateo Retegui’s second-half strike that put Roberto Mancini’s side back in the tie.
Thursday’s strike takes Kane’s tally to 24 goals as the English talisman continues to deliver for club and country this season.
Kane is no stranger to smashing records, having surpassed Jimmy Greaves’ tally of 266 goals to become Tottenham’s all-time top scorer this season.
However, approaching his early 30s, the former Millwall man has no trophies to show for his remarkable statistics.
But that could change soon, with Kane becoming one of the most sought-after strikers this summer amid interest from Manchester United and Bayern Munich, who are more than capable of offering him a taste of silverware success.
Kane has played his part in helping England mark their Euro 2024 qualifiers with a winning start over a tough opposition and will be looking to extend his lead at the all-time scoring summit when the Three Lions take on Ukraine on Sunday.
