Why Harry Kane – and NOT Jude Bellingham – is Gareth Southgate’s one irreplaceable star and upon whom England’s hopes rest at Euro 2024

We’ve been wading through a tumult of pre-tournament stories this past week. The late arrival of Jude Bellingham and an apparent over-confidence in him. Luke Shaw’s hamstring. The loss of Harry Maguire. And for 24 hours, as Gareth Southgate got brave and part of our nation got scared, the axing of Jack Grealish and James Maddison.

But the elephant in the locker room is Harry Kane, or at least it should be. We forget that he ended the season at Bayern Munich with a back injury, and that he himself did not look during an hour of Friday night’s 1-0 defeat to Iceland. But we have also forgotten that for all the talk of Bellingham as the savior, Kane is the one English player who is irreplaceable.

Phil Foden was poor against Iceland, but as Premier League player of the year he is an excellent alternative to Bellingham at number 10. Declan Rice, meanwhile, is better than Bellingham in a deeper role.

There is no replacement for Kane, not when the replacements for this country’s greatest ever goalscorer have three international goals between them in just 15 caps. Ollie Watkins has never convinced in an England jersey. Some attackers don’t do that. Exceptional attackers too. See Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright and Robbie Fowler. When Watkins toiled for 60 minutes in North Macedonia in November, he was replaced by Kane. Within 60 seconds the captain had forced the equalizer.

Ivan Toney is less visible at this level and could thrive, but he is not in the squad to start games. What’s more, it’s the events around two hours after kick-off that could prove his worth, and the possibility of penalties.

Bellingham will be a hugely important figure for England, but Kane remains the main man

Gareth Southgate has no other striking options with the same quality as Kane

So Kane is the starter and finisher on whom England’s hopes genuinely rest. When an Icelandic player landed on John Stones’ ankle in the opening minutes, there was much talk about England being one injury away from no chance of winning the European Championship.

That statement was correct, but it was incorrect to identify Stones as the player they can’t lose. The defense is weak with and without Stones, but Kane’s strength at the other end could still mask that. Lose Kane and England lose the one thing that separates them from almost all their rivals: a world-class goalscorer.

As Southgate was quizzed after the match on Friday about the importance of Bellingham and how his signing will raise standards, the team’s real standard-bearer held the pitch in an adjacent corridor. Kane is England’s grown-up, both on and off the pitch. And like a parent, he told the children to wake up. “This could be a nice wake-up call for everyone to realize that it’s not going to be as easy as people think,” he said.

Kane, who ended the season with a back injury, missed an inviting opportunity against Iceland

The 30-year-old last played for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid over a month ago

It was not fun. Much of Friday’s broadcast was terrible. But his point still stands: England are not the tournament favorites some would have you believe. Not when they are so dependent on the shape and fitness of one man. And no, that’s not Bellingham.

How’s Kane? This was the sixth of the ten questions asked. It should have been the first.

“I’m fine,” he said. ‘The plan was that I would play sixty minutes. In that sense it has been a very good camp for me personally. A good week of training, 30 minutes (against Bosnia), a few more days of training, then 60 minutes. I feel really prepared and in a good place. It would have been nice if I had scored that chance (against Iceland), but that’s how it goes.”

Kane had skipped over from a few yards out when he was unmarked. Insignificant perhaps in the wider story of his brilliant career in England. But important if that miss is a warning of a story yet untold.

The 30-year-old last played for Bayern just over a month ago, when he was substituted in the second half of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final defeat to Real Madrid. He was only taken off the field because Thomas Tuchel doubted his impact ability due to his bad back.

Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins are in the squad, but Kane is England’s only world-class goalscorer

Without his trusted generals Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire, Southgate needs Kane

Kane’s back hasn’t had the round-the-clock attention of Wayne Rooney or David Beckham’s metatarsals since, but perhaps we’ve taken too much comfort in knowing the injury was never enough to keep him out of the final. However, a half-fit Kane would more than halve England’s chances of victory. Southgate must also be concerned as he has included two other centre-forwards in his final squad for the first time.

The manager would not have minded Kane lending his own statesmanlike mantle this weekend and addressing the team’s shortcomings. When the skipper questioned the side’s ‘hunger’, it felt like territory only he could venture into. But without his other trusted generals, Jordan Henderson and Maguire, Southgate needs that.

In fact, he needs Kane more than any other player, and he needs Kane to be fit and shoot. Without that, there is a chance that England will not be fit for purpose.