- Published
Where would England be without Harry Kane?
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England → publish → Kane
With every record he breaks and landmark he passes, the question becomes increasingly difficult to tackle.
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question → break → record
The Bayern Munich striker became his nation's joint-highest appearance-maker on Tuesday at Wembley, netting twice in the 3-0 win over Czechia, taking his tally to 91 goals in 125 caps.
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striker → become → caps
He won a league and cup double with Bayern last term - scoring 61 goals in 51 games for the German giants in 2025-26 - and he's among the favourites for the Ballon d'Or.
However, when the next European Championship kicks off in the summer of 2028, Kane will be 35.
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Kane → win → 2028
Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel said: "You will not get another Harry Kane, first of all.
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You → say → all
We look for different options and solutions.
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We → look → options
Is the answer already in front of us - or could it be someone yet to even emerge?
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it → emerge → us
'I like him as a nine' - new role for Bellingham?
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I → like → Bellingham
Tuchel seems to think England may have an option within their ranks already in the guise of fellow superstar Jude Bellingham.
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England → seem → Bellingham
He shrugged off question marks over his place in the team ahead of the World Cup to quickly become a rival to Kane as England's most influential player.
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He → shrug → player
"I like him as a nine," Tuchel admitted ahead of England's 7-0 win over Croatia.
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Tuchel → like → Croatia
"He is a natural goalscorer and he has the hunger to be on the scoreboard.
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he → have → scoreboard
"He wants to be there and have the decisive action, so it makes not a huge difference if he plays as a nine or a 10.
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he → want → nine
The German has certainly helped Bellingham add a productive edge to his game.
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Bellingham → help → game
Since the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Real Madrid star has netted 10 times in 12 matches for England, having scored six times in the 48 games beforehand.
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star → net → games
BBC Radio 5 Live's senior football reporter Ian Dennis said: "The person who is going to replace Kane has already emerged – and that's Jude Bellingham.
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that → say → Kane
"We have seen it at times, when they play that false nine, Bellingham can go into that advanced role.
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Bellingham → see → role
He will also eclipse Kane in terms of appearances.
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He → eclipse → appearances
This is a player who will continue to go from strength to strength."
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who → continue → strength
At Real Madrid, Bellingham played frequently as a false nine in his first season for the club, with Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo offering penetration from the wide positions.
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Jr. → play → positions
It was Bellingham's most productive season for Real Madrid, with the numbers indicating just how much of an all-round package he's developed into now.
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he → indicate → package
In a similar style, so much of Kane's good work for England comes from dropping deep, operating as a playmaker and then surging into the box to finish chances.
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much → come → chances
If England want another player who can straddle the No. 9 and No. 10 positions simultaneously, then Bellingham could be their best fit.
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Bellingham → want → positions
However former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said on 5 Live: "He is not a nine, Bellingham plays off others.
"
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Bellingham → say → others
I do think if England are going to play this system – and remember Kane has a long time left – I don't see Bellingham as the out and out number nine.
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I → think → number
In terms of natural centre-forward replacements for Kane, England do not have much depth.
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England → have → depth
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has made a case to be Kane's back-up.
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Lewin → make → case
He has 17 goals in 40 Premier League appearances since moving to Leeds United last summer.
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He → have → United
However, there is a sense that Calvert-Lewin is not a dependable finisher - he underperformed by 2.13 in terms of xG in the Premier League last season - while at 29 he is not a long-term solution to Kane.
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he → be → Kane
The only other English strikers to score in the Premier League so far this season are Nottingham Forest's Liam Delap, rebuilding his career after a difficult spell at Chelsea, and Ipswich Town's Chuba Akpom, who both have one goal each.
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who → score → goal
Across the 2026-27 season, English left-backs, with six, have more goals than English centre-forwards, with five.
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backs → have → five
Danny Welbeck was pushing for a recall last season with 13 Premier League goals but at the age of 35, his time is likely to have passed and he is certainly no long-term solution.
Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins, previously considered by Tuchel, are both playing their football in the Saudi Pro League and were both left out of the most recent squad.
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Toney → push → squad
Do England even need a striker?
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England → need → striker
If England do have an issue at centre-forward due to a Kane injury or suspension - or his eventual retirement - they could always opt to play without one.
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they → have → one
Tuchel has used the tactic before, with Kai Havertz often deployed at the point of the attack during his time as Chelsea boss.
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Havertz → use → boss
Havertz scored 10 goals in the 33 league games in which he was used as a centre-forward by Tuchel.
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he → score → Tuchel
A more fluid system has also been used to great effect by world and European champions Spain, who have deployed converted wingers Mikel Oyarzabal and Ferran Torres as strikers.
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who → use → strikers
Anthony Gordon, who scored three times during the international break, could fit that particular bill.
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who → score → bill
The winger was used as a striker by Newcastle United late last season and had success in the Champions League, netting 10 times in 12 appearances overall.
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winger → use → appearances
Who could be the next striker to break through?
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Who → break → ?
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
