If you have watched England over the last few years, you have heard the question plenty of times: why is Harry Kane dropping so deep? Maybe you have even asked it yourself. But it is about time people stopped complaining.
Kane, the nation's all-time top scorer, banged in a mind-boggling 61 goals for Bayern Munich this season while being more involved in the build-up than ever. Now he prepares to take his world-beating form into what could be his final World Cup as England captain.
Kane's Final Form
At Euro 2024, Gareth Southgate's use of Kane was heavily criticised. England lacked dynamism and play was often congested. Kane's tendency to drop deep seemed to be the blame. Former England striker Gary Lineker was particularly unhappy. "As a striker, you have two jobs: score goals, which Harry Kane has been good at all his career, and make space," Lineker said. "Against a back three he has to stretch the play, run one way and then come short so you do not have to come too far to receive it. He needs to make more space for the midfield players behind him to create chances."
Alan Shearer even questioned whether Kane still had the legs to stretch the play. "As I got older I needed pace in and around me," Shearer said. "I could still score goals, head the ball, get into positions in the box, but one thing I could not do is run in behind. Harry Kane is the same now. He needs players that have the legs to run beyond and make the space."
Far from being on the decline, Kane has completed an evolution that most centre-forwards never achieve. In his first Bundesliga season (2023/24), Kane averaged 18 passes per 90. Last season it rose to 21.5. This season it is 24. Yet paradoxically, his goals per game has gone from 0.99 to 0.93 to 1.23. The traditional expectation of trading off goals for creativity does not apply to Kane.
Kane's Profile Shows Increased Creativity
He is not just dropping deep. In 2023/24, he averaged 3.03 progressive passes per 90. This season it is 4.2, a 38% increase. Kane is actively driving his team forward from deeper areas, with his passes into the final third increasing from 2.88 per 90 to 4.3 this season.
For England, this shift is even more pronounced. Against New Zealand and Costa Rica, Kane averaged 26.61 passes per 90 yet averaged 4.7 shots per 90, both higher than any of his Bundesliga campaigns. Kane is involved even further from goal yet shooting more than ever. This trend has developed throughout Thomas Tuchel's tenure, with the German asking more from his captain as a distributor.
In the 2024/25 Nations League, Kane averaged 24.93 passes per 90 and 6.23 link-up plays per 90, both his highest return in any competition over the last three years, yet continued to convert at close to a goal a game. In World Cup qualification, he averaged 6.04 touches in the box per 90. Far from being absent from dangerous areas, Kane is choosing his moments to deadly effect.
Against Costa Rica on Wednesday night, Kane played 61 minutes, completing 17 passes, one through ball and three touches in the box. His floating pass to Anthony Gordon just before half-time, which resulted in an ultimately overturned penalty award, underlined his unique skillset. An expected goals (xG) of 0.11 did not pull up any trees, but Kane's role was to be the connector as much as the finisher.
With adjustments made to the profile of the players surrounding him, Kane is set to unleash his unique talents on the World Cup, playing deeper, passing more, entering the box less frequently and somehow scoring more than ever. The data has been pointing this way for some time, but this summer, Kane should finally get the recognition he deserves.
