Harry Kane overtakes Wayne Rooney to become England’s all-time leading goal scorer
It has done! Harry Kane surpasses Wayne Rooney to become England’s all-time top scorer with a penalty against Italy … as the Three Lions captain scores his 54th goal in his 81st match
Harry Kane has surpassed Wayne Rooney to become England’s all-time leading goalscorer after scoring the winner in the Three Lions’ 2-1 win over Italy.
Kane scored against Italy in the 44th minute on Thursday in Naples to surpass Rooney with 54 goals.
The 29-year-old hadn’t scored against Italy in four previous games against them, but he broke that duck when he scored from the penalty spot just before halftime.
Kane’s strike 54 came in his 81st game for his country, with Rooney’s tally taking him to 130 games.
Bobby Charlton, whom Kane surpassed last year, is third, with 49 goals in 106 games.
Harry Kane became England’s all-time top scorer with a goal against Italy
England captain Kane steps up to convert a penalty to double the lead against Italy.
Kane sends Gianluigi Donnarumma down the wrong path to become England’s all-time top scorer
Kane surpassed former England captain Wayne Rooney, whom he drew level with in December
Kane surpasses England legends Rooney, Sir Bobby Charlton and Gary Lineker to become England’s all-time top goalscorer, as seen in our chart created by sofascore.es
“I know it will have added motivation tomorrow night to come back and show everyone what it’s all about in an England shirt,” manager Gareth Southgate told the BBC before the game.
“We have seen in his performances for his club that he has put (the World Cup disappointment) behind him.”
Kane added: “I love playing for England so to have that opportunity and hopefully to do it this week would be great, but as always the team comes first.”
The Spurs striker became his club’s all-time record goalscorer earlier this year when he surpassed Jimmy Greaves.
He has now netted 271 goals for his club to go along with his England total, while also finding the net during loan spells at Millwall and Leyton Orient and for England at youth level.
Kane’s first goal came 80 seconds into his debut, when he replaced Rooney in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania.
Kane made his England debut in 2015 as a substitute for Rooney against Lithuania
He won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when England finished fourth.
The striker could have been clear at the top of the scoring table against France in the World Cup, but he missed a penalty
His full debut came against Italy just a few days later, when he started alongside Rooney in a 1-1 draw.
He became England’s captain ahead of the 2018 World Cup, where he won the tournament’s Golden Boot as the Three Lions finished fourth.
He was level with Rooney when he scored from the penalty spot against France in the World Cup quarter-final, and had a chance to go all the way when England were awarded another penalty.
However, he infamously lobbed the ball over the bar as England went out to eventual runners-up, and had to wait to break the record.