Ex-Bayern Munich star believes Harry Kane ‘simply hasn’t got’ key attribute to guide England to World Cup glory

England secured a 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening World Cup match, with Harry Kane scoring a brace, and, in the process, he became the nation’s joint top scorer at the competition.

The Bayern Munich striker is now tied on 10 goals with Gary Lineker, with the pair both winning the competition’s golden boot.

Thomas Tuchel’s side secured all three points against Croatia in the second half as Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford scored after the game was level at 2-2 at the interval.

The German manager appeared pleased with the performance of his captain as he did his primary job, scoring goals, but a compatriot of Tuchel’s was not as forthcoming with praise for Kane.

Following the victory for England, Dietmar Hamann spoke on RTE on why he feels Kane is not the man to fire the Three Lions to World Cup glory and that there are several other forwards from the tournament he would select ahead of the Bayern Munich man in his team.

Hamann said: “Out of 10 goals, he has scored seven or eight in the group stage.

“He is there to score goals in the knockout games, and the jury is out.

“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.

“I think there are a few centre forwards in this tournament I would rather have in my team than him, because as he says, in tournament football you can score on the counterattack. He won’t score on the counterattack.

“Because when you play against the best teams, sometimes you have to sit back, and then you have to go 50 or 60 yards to score a goal.

“Now, if Madueke takes off, Gordon takes off, or Rashford takes off, he won’t be able to keep up with them.

“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.

Didi Hamann coming for Harry Kane not doing it in the big games and his lack of pace pic.twitter.com/aOLA3sveBm

— Daniel Hussey (@DanielHussey2) June 17, 2026

“His finishing—he is probably the best in the tournament, the best in the world.

“Give him half a chance, and he will score. But does he get in these positions against Germany, Brazil, or France? I’m not too sure.”

While there were penalties, Kane will point to the fact that he did score against France in the 2022 World Cup and then when he scored against the Netherlands in the 2024 European Championship knockout stages.

It is fair to say that the 32-year-old has struggled to register a goal in the knockout stages; however, he has the chance to prove Hamann wrong in this tournament and help England to their second World Cup title, 60 years after their first.