Harry Kane's devastation at the final whistle against Real Madrid was palpable. Photo: Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein
At the Bernabeu on Wednesday evening, TV cameras caught Harry Kane watching the final moments of Bayern Munich's late collapse from behind one of the high-backed seats, and he briefly lost his usual mask of composure.
Kane is an unusual modern footballer because he rarely allows himself to show a glimpse of vulnerability in difficult moments. In the hundreds of hours he spent on the pitch, it is difficult to recall any apparent desperation from Kane, other than the occasional bout of staring into space. However, when Real Madrid's comeback unfolded on the field, he fell, sadly pressed his forehead to the seat in front of him and could no longer watch.
Harry Kane's reaction as his Bayern team crashed out of Europe 💔 pic.twitter.com/53y8gUjAtG
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 8, 2024
At 30 years old, of course, and still without a trophy, his story is one of football's fascinating stories. That the great English goalscorer of his generation was left with nothing at this stage of his career is a remarkable result. He will undoubtedly win something domestically eventually against a troubled Bayern side who still don't have a coach for next season, but even so.
He was the star of a Tottenham team that was the club's best for two decades. An England star who was the best the country had seen for at least 30 years. He is now the leader of a Bayern team that has lost its dominance in Germany for the first time in 12 years. All this suggests that the art of winning trophies is difficult to understand.
Jude Bellingham consoles Kane at the final whistle Photo: Getty Images /S. Mellar
In all cases the profit was in order. Real Madrid are on the verge of six Champions League titles in 11 years in a UEFA competition that the club is still trying to dismantle. They haven't always been the best team in every tournament they've won, but things like that can gain weird momentum.
Kane's goals were monumental. He has developed into a dominant all-round striker rarely seen in the English game. His eight goals and four assists in the Champions League this season once again make him one of the giants of the European game. That he doesn't even have a League Cup shows more the dangers of career planning than any reflection of his ability.
Kane's brilliant performances have continued unabated since his move to Bayern Munich. Photo: Getty Images/Kevin Voigt
The six-year contract that Kane signed at the age of 24 with Spurs ahead of the World Cup final in the summer of 2018 made the player a very rich young man and gave the club all the power. One trophy at Spurs might be worth five to Kane elsewhere. Additionally, the fact that one of the clubs outside the Premier League's richest elite was able to retain a player of his caliber was very beneficial for the competition. But was it great for Kane?
The fact that his career progressed more slowly than many of the other elite players meant that his first major contract was signed later in a typical leading player's career. If he had signed it in 2016, the dynamics would have been different, but now all this is not there.
There remains a lesson to be learned about how ruthless top players must be during their short period of thriving at elite level. In 2018, Kane knew his contract would expire at the end of June this year with less than a month left before his 31st birthday. He also knew how stubborn Daniel Levy could be. His move to Bayern last summer, with one year left on his 2018 contract at Spurs, was by no means a bad option, but Kane's situation didn't give him all the options. He was never going to be sold to a Premier League rival.
Kane's Spurs career will be haunted by the “what if?” Photo: Getty Images/James Gill
Real Madrid's defeat came on the fifth anniversary of Spurs' historic return to Amsterdam in the Champions League semi-finals, when Lucas Moura's hat-trick helped them beat Ajax. That night, Kane was on a rare long-term absence due to injury. An ankle problem has kept him out since 9 April and will not play again until the final against Liverpool on 1 June. Even that seemed like a risk that evening, and it was. Moura was sent off by then Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino and Kane wasn't Kane.
Against Real Madrid, Thomas Tuchel said he had no choice but to replace Kane in the closing stages. who had back problems. Once again, Kane's impassive face never revealed the problem. One can only assume it must have been bad. Kane is a master of finishing a game – from defending corners to winning cheap free-kicks that make the difference at the same time.
The Bundesliga's new top scorer now has a few weeks of rest before he takes charge of England. Germany at the Euro. To his credit, Kane retains the fierce instincts of a competitor, but never loses the buoyant disposition of a man willing to embrace the vicissitudes of the game. Perhaps the trophy curse will end for England this summer. Of course, this does not reflect the talent of one of the greatest players in English football.
Recent Comments