Gary Lineker has conceded that Harry Kane is a superior footballer to his former self, but the former England striker believes the modern game is far easier, largely due to pristine playing surfaces. Lineker, who scored 48 goals for England, acknowledged that Kane, now the Three Lions' record scorer with 78 international goals, possesses a more versatile skill set.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Lineker said: “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.”
The 65-year-old former Tottenham striker also argued that football has become less challenging for attackers. “Oh God yes, football is so much easier now. The surfaces are like billiard tables,” he said. Lineker believes that if he played today, he would have been even more prolific, despite scoring 283 club goals in his career.
Lineker noted that the expectations for strikers have changed dramatically. “If you scored around one goal every two games in my era, you were one of the top strikers in football. Now it's pretty much a goal per game. That shows you how much the game has changed in favour of strikers,” he added. Kane has surpassed 30 league goals in a season seven times, compared to Lineker's two.
