Harry Kane ranks third in BBC list of England’s greatest players

Harry Kane ranks third in BBC Sport journalist Alex Bysouth’s list of England’s 10 greatest men’s players, behind Bobby Moore and Sir Bobby Charlton. The ranking comes as Kane becomes England’s most-capped men’s player as well as its record goalscorer.

Bysouth says the list weighs ability alongside a player’s impact in an England shirt, memorable moments and longevity. He describes the choice as difficult, given the different eras and roles involved.

Kane’s case rests on nearly 12 years of international scoring, 21 goals across three World Cups and three European Championships, and the World Cup Golden Boot he won in 2018. He has also led England to two European Championship finals and two World Cup semi-finals, though the team has not won a major tournament during his career.

The BBC places Moore second, citing his captaincy of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning side, and Charlton first for his contribution to that team and a goalscoring record that stood for 55 years. Wayne Rooney is sixth, while Jude Bellingham is seventh; Bysouth notes that Bellingham, 23, still has much of his England career ahead of him.

The ranking is an individual assessment, not an official measure. Bysouth says the debate depends partly on how much weight is given to a player’s influence on the nation as well as their achievements on the pitch.