Why Harry Kane is not England's greatest player of all time despite Ballon d'Or 2026 triumph

Harry Kane inactive cannot beryllium considered England's top subordinate of each clip contempt his momentous Ballon d'Or triumph, a erstwhile Three Lions striker has exclusively told Sports Mole.

On the backmost of an bonzer 73-goal run for Bayern Munich and England successful 2025-26, Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or up of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to extremity England's 25-year hold for different recipient of the Golden Ball.

Following successful the footsteps of Michael Owen successful 2001, Kane became conscionable the 5th Englishman to hoist the Ballon d'Or trophy aloft connected Monday night, aft Kevin Keegan, Sir Stanley Matthews and Sir Bobby Charlton's successes.

The 33-year-old besides holds the honour of England's all-time starring goalscorer and joint-leading quality shaper with Peter Shilton, but helium is yet to instrumentality location a World Cup, Euros oregon Champions League winners' medal.

As a result, ex-England guardant Mark Hateley claims that Kane inactive needs to triumph a large tourney with his federation to beryllium considered the Three Lions' GOAT, though helium expects the 33-year-old to inactive beryllium starring the England enactment astatine the 2030 World Cup.

Asked by Sports Mole if Kane needs a Euros oregon World Cup to surpass the likes of Charlton and Bobby Moore, Hateley - who scored 236 goals for nine and state successful his vocation - responded: "Yes, I deliberation helium does.

Why Harry Kane is not the England GOAT contempt Ballon d'Or triumph

"He is breaking records and closing successful connected Peter Shilton’s quality record, but winning a large tourney would adhd thing different.

“He could play until helium is 38. With the mode helium looks aft himself and the fig of planetary fixtures now, determination could easy beryllium different 50 England appearances successful him. There are plentifulness of years near for him to execute more."

As good arsenic to his astronomical scoring numbers - which besides earned him the Gerd Muller Trophy - Kane retained the Bundesliga and German Super Cup titles with Bayern Munich, successful summation to winning the DFB-Pokal successful 2025-26.

However, Kane is present the archetypal Ballon d'Or victor since Lionel Messi successful 2019 to clinch the accolade without having won immoderate of the World Cup, Euros, Copa America oregon Champions League successful the erstwhile campaign.

Nevertheless, Hateley is successful nary uncertainty that the England skipper deserved to bushed Yamal, Mbappe and Rodri to the Ballon d'Or, acknowledgment successful nary tiny portion to his elite mindset and decision-making arsenic a young player.

"The Ballon d’Or is not decided by 1 game. It is based connected a season, and Harry Kane is presently the champion striker successful the satellite for me," Hateley added.

Hateley: 'Harry Kane did the close things arsenic a young player'

“He did the close things arsenic a young player. He went retired connected loan, did the hard yards and learned what the crippled demanded of him. You tin spot the benefits now.

“His crippled has developed. He tin play antithetic roles, sees the full representation and has truthful galore weapons. Defenders person a immense magnitude to deliberation astir erstwhile they look him.

“With the mode helium lives, looks aft himself and the younger players coming done with England, helium inactive has a fantastic accidental to triumph a European Championship oregon World Cup. If helium does that, helium becomes 1 of England’s top - if not the greatest."

Kane is acceptable to interruption Shilton's all-time grounds of 125 England appearances adjacent month, erstwhile Thomas Tuchel's broadside look Croatia and Spain successful their last 2 UEFA Nations League group-stage fixtures.

Bayern are adjacent successful enactment connected Wednesday against Magdeburg successful the 2nd circular of the DFB-Pokal, though Kane could precise good beryllium rested for that fixture up of Saturday's Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund.

The 33-year-old has scored 10 goals and acceptable up 7 much successful 12 games for Vincent Kompany's broadside this season, and an update connected his Bayern declaration situation also emerged earlier this week.

Mark Hateley was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of BetWright.