Why Kane is different at this World Cup

Harry Kane has made a completely different start to this World Cup compared to previous ones. At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, he needed four games and 269 minutes to manage his first shot on target. This time, he scored twice in England's opening 4-2 victory against Croatia, finding the net after just 12 minutes with a retaken penalty and later adding a header. Former England striker Alan Shearer, writing for BBC Sport, notes that Kane looks fully fit and confident, a stark contrast to earlier tournaments where he seemed tired or not at 100%.

Shearer, who himself scored for England in their 1998 World Cup opener, knows the relief of getting off the mark early. Kane had to watch other superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi score goals before he did, making him desperate to join the party. Now, under manager Thomas Tuchel, England are using Kane much like Bayern Munich did. Tuchel previously coached Kane at Bayern and understands how to get the best out of him. Kane drops deep to collect the ball, but now teammates like Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, and Anthony Gordon run past him, stretching defenses. Kane also works hard defensively—he blocked a shot off the goalline in the final minute against Croatia—but hasn't stopped scoring.

Shearer highlights Kane's mental strength in retaking a penalty after the initial kick was saved. Putting the second penalty in exactly the same spot shows immense composure. Kane also scored a brilliant header from Declan Rice's cross, reading the ball's flight perfectly. With a group-stage win under their belt and Ghana and Panama to come, Kane's eyes must be lighting up. He is one of only three players at this tournament (alongside Mbappe and James Rodriguez) wearing a special patch for winning the Golden Boot previously. Shearer believes Kane will be desperate to become the first player to win it twice. While Mbappe, Messi, and Haaland are also contenders, England's setup is now tailored to bring the best out of Kane. As Shearer says, if England are to go far, they need Kane at his best—and he is already delivering.