LONDON, July 1 Betandsured. Michael Owen has lavished praise on Harry Kane as England’s greatest ever striker while simultaneously questioning the forward’s decision to join Bayern Munich, suggesting the Bundesliga’s competitive shortcomings may have diminished the scale of his achievements.
The former Liverpool and England striker, speaking to Daily Mail Sport, delivered an impassioned appraisal of Kane’s abilities before pivoting to a familiar critique of the 32 year old’s career trajectory.
“I love Harry Kane. Without hesitation, I call him England’s greatest ever striker,” Owen declared. “He is the best finisher in world football, no doubt.”
The endorsement carried significant weight from a man who knows a thing or two about prolific goalscoring, but Owen quickly turned to what he described as his “one gripe” with the Bayern captain.
Bundesliga Argument
Owen’s reservation centres on the competitive disparity within German football, where Bayern’s domestic dominance has long been a point of contention among critics of the league’s appeal.
“I understand the benefits, and England will hopefully see that in the next few weeks. His all round game is so mature, the way he comes into midfield and starts attacks as well as finishing them,” Owen said. “But in terms of his career, he is better than the Bundesliga. I have watched the league more now because of Harry, and beyond Bayern it is very ordinary.”
The former Real Madrid striker argued that Kane’s prolific output at the Allianz Arena is a function of Bayern’s overwhelming superiority rather than any diminution of the forward’s talents. “Week after week he is playing for a team that dominates possession, dominates territory and creates chance after chance. Of course he scores goals.”
Premier League Legacy
For Owen, the more significant achievement would have been remaining in England to surpass Alan Shearer’s all time Premier League goalscoring record , a feat Kane was on course to achieve before his departure from Tottenham.
“But I still think becoming the Premier League’s all time leading scorer would have been the greater achievement. He would have deserved that,” Owen insisted. “He’d also have had his pick of clubs once his Tottenham contract expired. Manchester United would have moved heaven and earth to sign him. He should probably have gone to Manchester City before Erling Haaland signed.”
The critique extended to Kane’s trophy collection in Bavaria, where Bundesliga titles have become routine. “Winning Bundesliga titles with Bayern was never going to define his greatness because Bayern almost always win them,” Owen said. “Had Bayern won the Champions League, perhaps we’d view it differently, but they haven’t.”
Unqualified Admiration
Despite his reservations, Owen made clear that his admiration for Kane remains undiminished. The England captain’s relentless pursuit of improvement, he suggested, sets him apart from those blessed with natural genius.
“None of this changes how I feel about Harry Kane,” Owen concluded. “He’s a wonderful footballer, an outstanding captain and a brilliant human being. More importantly, he’s an example. An example that you don’t always have to be born as Lionel Messi, Pele or Diego Maradona. Sometimes, the greatest players are the ones who simply refuse to stop improving.”
The debate over Kane’s legacy continues to divide opinion, with Owen’s intervention adding another layer to a discussion that is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
