Harry Kane marked his 100th England cap in impressive fashion, scoring twice to secure a 2-0 victory against Finland in the Nations League on Tuesday. Kane, who captained the England team, delivered two standout finishes in the second half at Wembley, celebrating this milestone in style.
At 31, Kane joins an elite group of players with 100 England appearances, including legends like David Beckham and Bobby Moore. The all-time caps record for England is held by goalkeeper Peter Shilton with 125 appearances, while Wayne Rooney is the most-capped outfield player with 120. Kane, who has already become England’s record scorer with 68 goals, could potentially surpass both of these records.
He is only the third England player to score on his 100th appearance, following Rooney’s goal against Slovenia in 2014 and Bobby Charlton’s against Northern Ireland in 1970. Kane, now with Bayern Munich, continues to be inspired by the longevity of figures like Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently scored his 901st career goal, and NFL legend Tom Brady. Kane shows no signs of slowing down in his record-setting career.
It was a memorable night for Kane, who led England onto the pitch with two of his children before kick-off and was presented with a commemorative gold cap by fellow England centurions Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole. “His finishing is very good, even in training. It’s not a surprise when he scores goals as his habits are so good,” said England interim boss Lee Carsley. “The way he trains and conducts himself, he is a great example for the rest of the players.”
While Kane shone in the spotlight, it was also a positive result for Carsley, who had previously overseen a 2-0 win against Ireland in his first game in charge. Carsley is the first England manager to win his first two competitive games since Fabio Capello in 2008. The 50-year-old, who took over from Gareth Southgate after the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain, has adopted an attacking game-plan, contrasting with Southgate’s more conservative approach.
Whether Lee Carsley’s impressive start will be enough to secure him the job on a permanent basis remains uncertain, but his early performance has certainly given the Football Association something to consider before England’s next match against Greece in October.
“I’m totally relaxed about the situation. I have got to do a good job,” Carsley commented. “We have shown ourselves that we can do it. We can put ideas in place and the players have responded really well.”
Showing confidence in the players he previously coached as the England Under-21 manager, Carsley gave Lille midfielder Angel Gomes his first senior start for the Three Lions, and Gomes made a solid impact. Additionally, Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who came off the bench for his debut, assisted Kane’s second goal.
Carsley’s last visit to Wembley was to see Bruce Springsteen perform earlier this year. While England might not have matched the spectacle of the “Boss,” they certainly had their own headline act in Kane. Wearing gold boots, Kane turned the Nations League Group B2 match into another showcase of his “Midas touch” in the rain-soaked north London venue.
After being denied by a tight offside call and several excellent saves from Finland’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky in the first half, Kane finally found the net in the 58th minute. Collecting a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold 20 yards from goal, Kane maneuvered the ball into position and unleashed a powerful strike that ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.
Kane’s 26th goal in 35 Wembley appearances for England was soon followed by his 27th in the 76th minute. Madueke, running onto Alexander-Arnold’s precise pass, delivered a low cross that Kane finished off with his trademark poise from 12 yards.
The night ended on a high note for Kane, who left the pitch to a standing ovation after being substituted shortly after his second goal.
