Is Jude Bellingham England's heir to Harry Kane's striker role?
October 7, 2026 18:20
WHAT HAPPENED
Kane scored twice in England's 3-0 win over Czechia at Wembley and became his nation's joint-highest appearance-maker. He has 91 goals in 125 caps and, after a 2025-26 season in which he scored 61 goals in 51 games and won a league and cup double with Bayern Munich, he remains in outstanding form and is said to be among the favourites for the Ballon d'Or. But he will be 35 when the next European Championship begins in 2028, prompting debate about future options.
A CANDIDATE: JUDE BELLINGHAM
England manager Thomas Tuchel has publicly flagged Jude Bellingham as a possible answer, saying: "You will not get another Harry Kane, first of all. We look for different options and solutions." Tuchel has also described Bellingham as a forward option: "I like him as a nine... He is a natural goalscorer and he has the hunger to be on the scoreboard. He wants to be there and have the decisive action, so it makes not a huge difference if he plays as a nine or a 10."
Bellingham's numbers for England under recent periods have risen sharply. Since the start of the 2026 World Cup he has scored 10 times in 12 matches for his country, having scored six times in the previous 48 games. At club level he played frequently as a false nine in his first season at Real Madrid, with Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo providing wide penetration.
PUNDIT VIEWS
BBC Radio 5 Live's Ian Dennis argued: "The person who is going to replace Kane has already emerged – and that's Jude Bellingham." Dennis added that Bellingham can occupy an advanced false-nine role and noted his likely longevity in appearances. Conversely, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson cautioned: "He is not a nine, Bellingham plays off others. I do think if England are going to play this system – and remember Kane has a long time left – I don't see Bellingham as the out and out number nine."
OTHER OPTIONS
Reporters have pointed to midfield and attacking players such as Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze as alternatives who could fill the role Bellingham currently occupies.
WHY IT MATTERS
Kane's sustained form and record make replacing him a complex task; Tuchel's comments and the contrasting pundit views underline that England may need to adapt their forward role rather than simply find a like-for-like successor.