One of our own Harry Kane breaks England’s all-time appearance record
Harry Kane, our all-time record goalscorer, has added another record to his collection, becoming the most-capped player in the history of the English national football team.
With his 126th cap, which he receives after being named in the starting lineup for tonight’s Nations League clash against Croatia, our academy graduate overtakes former goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
Shilton, who played his 125th and final game for the Three Lions in 1990, 20 years after his first for his country, has been passed by Ballon d'Or winner Harry after holding the record for 36 years.
Our legendary former striker had the perfect start to his England career, heading in his maiden goal just 79 seconds after being introduced for his debut.
The goal against Lithuania in March 2015 was the first of 58 goals that Harry, who came through the ranks before making 435 appearances for us, scored for the Three Lions as a Spurs player.
His 54th for his country saw the man who broke Jimmy Greaves’ long-standing Spurs goalscoring record become his nation’s record goalscorer in March 2023.
Internationally, the striker has now taken his tally to 91 goals, netting a further 33 after departing N17 for Bayern Munich in 2023.
Since moving to Bavaria, he has hit several key strikes in an England shirt, including an equaliser from the spot in a European Championship semi-final in 2024 and a late double that rescued his country against DR Congo on their way to a World Cup semi-final this summer.
In his time in Lilywhite, Harry made 84 appearances for the Three Lions, which is 35 more than the next best number set by a player during their time in north London (49), which was achieved by both Jermain Defoe and Eric Dier.
This summer’s World Cup, where England reached the final four for the fourth time in their history, was the Spurs great’s sixth major tournament for his country. In that time, he has played in two European Championship finals, two World Cup semi-finals, and three World Cup quarter-finals.
His first goal at an international tournament was in the Three Lions’ opening group game of the 2018 World Cup, firing them in front against Tunisia after just 11 minutes.
A second came not long after, restoring Gareth Southgate’s side’s lead in the game with what would be a stoppage-time winner.
In that tournament in Russia, his second of four while playing in our colours, he went on to score six goals, netting a hat-trick in a famous 6-1 win over Panama and scoring the opening goal against Colombia in the Round of 16.
That summer, Harry was the first English player to win the Golden Boot since former Spurs player Gary Lineker in Mexico in 1986, and also became the Englishman with the most World Cup goals this past summer.
Six goals at the tournament in North America saw him take his total tally to 14, passing Lineker’s 10. In total, he has scored a combined 21 goals at World Cups and European Championships, which is another England record.
His brilliant summer was the cherry on the cake of a terrific 2025/26 season that saw him score 73 goals for club and country, going on to win the Ballon d’Or award last month.
He now puts an end to a groundbreaking 2026 by becoming the all-time appearance maker for the Three Lions. Congratulations, Harry!