WORLD AT HIS FEAT
He’s got a better goal ratio in 2017 than Messi & Ronaldo. After his double against Dortmund, Spurs star Kane is being hailed as the most lethal striker on the planet...
IF you are really still doubting his world-class ability, then you clearly have not been keeping up with events.
Harry Kane explained earlier this week he was giving himself the six games of Tottenham’s Champions League group stage to prove he is up with the top strikers in European football. England’s No.9 needed just one – in which he netted twice to see off Borussia Dortmund – to turn his critics into believers. Since then the two-time Golden Boot winner has been buried under an avalanche of praise. Phil Neville, who played with Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy, said: “He’s got the killer instinct of Van Nistelrooy but runs around, battles and bullies defenders, like Diego Costa. “He is the most complete centre-forward I’ve seen in a long time.” Spurs team-mate Fernando Llorente, who has played with David Villa, Fernando Torres and Carlos Tevez, said: “Kane is among the best strikers in the world – if not the best. “In front of goal, he’s lethal. He is in a sweet moment, and we have to make the best of that.” Dortmund’s former Liverpool midfielder Nuri Sahin said: “He’s a world-class striker and showed that again. His movement before his second goal, where he moved in before dropping deeper, is the difference between world class and class. He does that well.” It is hard to believe that, had either record-signing Roberto Soldado or Emmanuel Adebayor delivered for Spurs, the academy striker might never have been able to seize his chance. But Kane’s stats are now comparing favourably with the best that European football has to offer. Only three players in Europe’s top five leagues have scored more goals since January: Lionel Messi (39), Edinson Cavani (34) and Robert Lewandowski (30). Kane’s brace at Wembley means he is now the first Englishman to score in three consecutive Champions League games since Rooney seven years ago. Both Kane, 24, and Cristiano Ronaldo – who also hit two on Wednesday for Real Madrid – have now scored 29 goals in this calendar year. Kane’s have come in 27 appearances, Ronaldo’s in 30. His 29 Premier League goals last season left Romelu Lukaku (left) and Alexis Sanchez, with 25 and 24 respectively, trailing in his wake. Compare his low maintenance and devotion to his boyhood club to the antics of combustive Costa and surly Sanchez. Of Kane (scoring his second goal against Dortmund, below), former England boss Sam Allardyce said: “As a goalscorer, he’s getting into the world-class area. He has continued to consistently score every type of goal you look for. “Not only that, his hold-up play outside the box has improved tremendously. It looks like his upper body has got stronger. He can hold off defenders now and take the physical side of it.” Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said: “Harry Kane today – devastating finisher. To have him in your team, Spurs must be thanking their lucky stars. “He reminds me of Alan Shearer before the injuries, when he was quick and strong, when he was flying through, running on to things more often. Kane is a danger at any point of the game.” Sky Sports pundit Craig Bellamy believes the forward can beat Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record of 260. He said: “He’s very clever in his movement, he understands where he needs to be and can create half-a-yard from anything. “If he can stay on this path, Kane is the only current player who can threaten Shearer’s record.”