Harry Kane is on the verge of making more England history, with the Ballon d'Or winner just one appearance away from surpassing Peter Shilton as the country's most-capped men's footballer. Already the Three Lions' record goalscorer with 91, Kane will reach 126 caps if selected by Thomas Tuchel to face Croatia in the Nations League at Wembley on Thursday night.
Kane made his senior England debut in a European Championship qualifier against Lithuania in 2015, his first selection after impressing for Tottenham during the 2014/15 season. Then aged 21, Kane had already scored 26 goals in 42 appearances for Spurs by March. He was not immediately named in the starting lineup by Roy Hodgson, instead coming on as a substitute and scoring a debut goal just 79 seconds later.
Goalkeeper and Defenders
Joe Hart started against Lithuania, established as England's number one during a period of relative stability between the sticks. Understudies on the night included Jack Butland and Robert Green, but Hart remained first-choice until 2017, when the emergence of Jordan Pickford limited him to 75 caps. He retired in 2024 after a spell at Celtic and now works as a pundit on the BBC.
Nathaniel Clyne was never first-choice at right-back for Hodgson, with his 14 caps coming across a two-year period. He outlasted Hodgson but earned only one more cap under Gareth Southgate. He is currently without a club after his second stint at Crystal Palace ended in the summer.
Gary Cahill was enjoying the most consistent spell of his England career in 2015, a trusted centre-back after Rio Ferdinand and John Terry had both retired. First called up by Fabio Capello, Cahill served under five different England managers, with his last appearance coming under Southgate at the 2018 World Cup. He ended his career at Bournemouth and retired in 2022, now working in the media.
Phil Jones, handed a debut by Capello, saw his England career impacted by the same injuries that plagued his time at Manchester United. Hodgson liked to include Jones when fit, but he made only 27 appearances for England in total, his last cap coming in the third-place play-off at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. After coaching spells at United and Blackburn following his retirement in 2023, he is now first-team coach at Sheffield United.
Leighton Baines had to wait to inherit the left-back position from Ashley Cole, but the emergence of Luke Shaw meant the Lithuania game was Baines' 30th and final cap for England. He has coached at Everton since retiring in 2020 and currently serves as an assistant to manager David Moyes.
Midfielders and Forwards
Jordan Henderson, now a veteran of over 450 Premier League games, was already established in the England midfield 11 years ago. A foray in Saudi Arabia briefly halted his international career, but Henderson was still involved in the squad for the 2026 World Cup, making his 90th Three Lions appearance in the group stage game against Panama. He signed for Chelsea in the summer after leaving Brentford and has become an important member of their midfield under Xabi Alonso, aged 36.
Fabian Delph was making the fourth of just 20 England appearances against Lithuania. His international career received a brief resurgence under Southgate, used as a makeshift left-back after Pep Guardiola had converted the midfielder into a defender at Manchester City. Delph retired in 2022 and has done some media work since.
Michael Carrick was coming to the end of a storied career that included Premier League and Champions League glory at Manchester United. United have since slid much further, with Carrick now set to be sacked from his role as head coach at Old Trafford after just one win in 10 Premier League games this term.
Raheem Sterling produced the assist for Kane's debut England goal and, despite being only 20, had already earned 13 caps. After breaking through as a teenager at Liverpool, Sterling reached new heights at City before a decline left the 31-year-old hunting for a club after a short stint at Feyenoord in the Netherlands. He has not played for England since 2022.
Danny Welbeck, like Henderson, was signed by Chelsea in the summer to add experience to a young squad at Stamford Bridge. Unlike his club team-mate, Welbeck has not enjoyed the same longevity with England. The Lithuania game was his last competitive start for the Three Lions, earning only nine more caps to bring his total tally to 42.
The Record-Breaker's Debut Moment
Rather fittingly, Kane replaced Wayne Rooney against Lithuania in the 71st minute - the man he would one day overtake as England's top goalscorer. Rooney's England career never lived up to expectations in terms of silverware, but his 53 goals in 120 games put him into the history books as the country's top goalscorer and most-capped outfield player before Kane took both records. After spells in management at Derby, D.C. United, Birmingham and Plymouth, he is now thriving as a pundit.
