Harry Kane made headlines in 2021 when he joined legend Gary Lineker at joint third in the all-time England goalscorer rankings. Now he’s moved up and is tied for second place all-time, with his name firmly entrenched in the list of elite forwards who have put on an England shirt.
Discussion has quickly moved to just how long it will take Kane to top the list, and break Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals. Kane is just three goals behind him and given his solid record at World Cups — he won the Golden Boot at the 2018 FIFA tournament — it’s fathomable that he equals, or surpasses, the record in Qatar in November.
Kane’s goals will be a key factor if Gareth Southgate’s side is to fulfill its potential after a semifinal finish at the 2018 World Cup and a runner-up spot at Euro 2020.
Even if he doesn’t break the record in Qatar, Kane is still only 28. Time is on his side to surpass the current record, and make history of his own.
But in the lead-up to England’s four matches in the June international window, Kane made it clear that he doesn’t want to necessarily wait until the World Cup to set the new mark.
“I’d like to break it as soon as possible. I’d love to score as many goals as I can in the next four games [in June] before the World Cup and see where we go from there,” Kane told media.
“But if it doesn’t happen for some reason and it goes into the World Cup, then so be it. The World Cup is probably the best competition in the world, so I’ll have a lot of focus on trying to achieve that and trying to go on and win that. We’ll have to wait and see.”
MORE: Premier League all-time top scorers: Where Kane ranks
What is the England goals record?
England’s top goalscorer is Wayne Rooney. He scored 53 goals for England in 120 appearances, and he is the only English player in history to have crossed the 50-goal mark for the national team.
Kane is now on 50 goals, even with the great Bobby Charlton. Kane has left Gary Lineker’s 48-goal international haul behind him.
The only other England players in the 40s are Jimmy Greaves (44) and Michael Owen (40).
Most England goals all-time
In addition to the list of players above, there is a group of three players on 30 goals which includes Premier League all-time scoring leader Alan Shearer.
Another familiar name, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, rounds out the top 10, which is made more impressive by the fact that he played in central midfield.
| Name | Goals | Caps | Years |
| Wayne Rooney | 53 | 120 | 2003 – 2018 |
| Harry Kane | 50 | 71 | 2015 – present |
| Bobby Charlton | 49 | 106 | 1958 – 1970 |
| Gary Lineker | 48 | 80 | 1984 – 1992 |
| Jimmy Greaves | 44 | 57 | 1959 – 1967 |
| Michael Owen | 40 | 89 | 1998 – 2008 |
| Nat Lofthouse | 30 | 33 | 1950 – 1958 |
| Alan Shearer | 30 | 63 | 1992 – 2000 |
| Tom Finney | 30 | 76 | 1946 – 1958 |
| Vivian Woodward | 29 | 23 | 1903 – 1911 |
| Frank Lampard | 29 | 106 | 1999 – 2014 |
Harry Kane England goals
Kane scored on his first England appearance, in a 4-0 win over Lithuania in 2015. But it was in 2017 that he began to score at a steady clip on international level, tucking away seven goals in six appearances.
That form continued into 2018 and through the World Cup in Russia, with Kane scoring eight goals in 12 matches during that year. Six of those came on the biggest stage at the World Cup, as England reached the semifinal stage.
His scoring form continued, and he actually upped his total in 2019 to 12 goals, adding to his career tally during England’s Euro qualifying and Nations League campaigns.
The 2020 calendar year, which was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, saw him go goalless on a limited schedule (just six matches). But he bounced back with a single-year career high of 16 goals in 16 matches in 2021.
He has two goals in six matches so far in 2022.
A measure of just how prolific Kane has been is evidenced in the ranking of the England all-time top scorers rearranged by goals per appearance. His 0.71 goals per match played stands well above the other Premier League era scorers.
| Name | Goals per cap |
| Vivian Woodward | 1.26 |
| Nat Lofthouse | 0.91 |
| Jimmy Greaves | 0.77 |
| Harry Kane | 0.7 |
| Gary Lineker | 0.6 |
| Alan Shearer | 0.48 |
| Bobby Charlton | 0.46 |
| Michael Owen | 0.45 |
| Wayne Rooney | 0.44 |
| Tom Finney | 0.39 |
| Frank Lampard | 0.27 |
MORE: Who has the most away goals in Premier League history?
When will Harry Kane break the record?
Kane’s last goal for England (Nos. 49 & 50) both came via the penalty spot: a 78th-minute penalty kick in a 2-1 friendly win against Switzerland, and an 88th minute penalty against Germany in the UEFA Nations League.
At his current rate of 0.7 goals per match, Kane would need about six more matches to break the England scoring record.
England have two more games remaining before the World Cup, both in the UEFA Nations League:
- Sept. 23: at Italy
- Sept. 26: vs. Germany
It could turn out that Kane breaks the record before the World Cup begins, and heads to Qatar as England’s all-time leading goalscorer.
If that didn’t happen, it would still make for a compelling storyline were he to achieve the mark at Qatar 2022.