Wayne Rooney believes Harry Kane deserves to be viewed as the greatest forward in England's history after the captain became his country's all-time leading goalscorer.
Kane scored his 54th international goal as England began their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a 2-1 win over Italy on Thursday, the penalty taking him past Rooney's total of 53.
The total for Kane includes a record 12 England goals at major tournaments (World Cup/European Championship), while he overtook Jimmy Greaves to become Tottenham's all-time leading scorer last month.
Writing in The Times on Friday, DC United manager Rooney backed Kane to set a difficult target for future England strikers to reach, comparing his hunger for goals to that of Robert Lewandowski.
"When I broke the England goalscoring record with a penalty against Switzerland in September 2015, Harry Kane was the first player to run over and celebrate with me," Rooney wrote.
"Even then, with only four caps under his belt, I knew he could become England’s greatest scorer if he kept going the way he was and I wanted to give him encouragement.
"I believe that when he stops playing he will leave the England record in a place where it will be very difficult for someone else to break it.
"He wants to be like Poland's Robert Lewandowski, a goal machine who is still at the very top in his mid-thirties, and he has it in him to make that happen. I think Harry will finish with an England goals total well into the seventies."
Rooney also compared Kane's playing style to that of Roma legend Francesco Totti, approving his talent for delivering passes to unlock defences.
While Kane is yet to inspire Gareth Southgate's team to major tournament glory, Rooney believes the 29-year-old already has a more impressive legacy than any other England forward.
"Where does he stand among England strikers? He is probably the best," Rooney added. "I was not an out-and-out number nine and if you look at the great England strikers – Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Jimmy Greaves, Michael Owen – Harry is as good a scorer as any of them and just as relentless, but unlike them he is not only a finisher.
"His all-round football qualities make him the best, and that is not just what he does in an England shirt, but at club level. He will break Shearer's Premier League goals record if he stays fit."
Giroud leaving Milan to join MLS at end of season
Olivier Giroud announced he will be leaving Milan to join the MLS at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Frenchman joined the club in July 2021 from Chelsea, winning the Serie A title in his first season.
Giroud has scored 48 goals in 130 games in all competitions for Milan, netting 16 of those this season to help them to a second-place finish.
In an emotional interview with the club’s media channels, Giroud said: "I'm here to tell you that the next two games will be my last for Milan. My career will continue in MLS.
"I'm very proud of everything I've done here at Milan across three seasons. It's the right time to announce it. I'm a bit emotional. My story with Milan ends this season, but Milan will forever remain in my heart."
Though Giroud did not confirm which team he would be joining in the MLS, previous reports suggested he could be moving to LAFC to link up with his France international team-mate, Hugo Lloris.
Giroud leaving Milan at end of season to join MLS
Olivier Giroud announced he will be leaving Milan to join the MLS at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Frenchman joined the club in July 2021 from Chelsea, winning the Serie A title in his first season.
Giroud has scored 48 goals in 130 games in all competitions for Milan, netting 16 of those this season to help them to a second-place finish.
In an emotional interview with the club’s media channels, Giroud said: "I'm here to tell you that the next two games will be my last for Milan. My career will continue in MLS.
"I'm very proud of everything I've done here at Milan across three seasons. It's the right time to announce it. I'm a bit emotional. My story with Milan ends this season, but Milan will forever remain in my heart."
Though Giroud did not confirm which team he would be joining in the MLS, previous reports suggested he could be moving to LAFC to link up with his France international team-mate, Hugo Lloris.
Beckham: Man Utd's problems have lasted 'too long'
David Beckham believes Manchester United’s issues have lasted "too long" since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
The Red Devils have won just four major trophies since Ferguson’s departure, with their most recent – an EFL Cup win last season – ending a six-year wait for silverware.
United have not won a Premier League title since the Scot’s final season in charge, with six managers failing to reclaim the top-flight crown since then.
This season, Erik ten Hag’s side are at risk of recording their lowest league finish and points tally, as they sit eighth on 54 points with two games remaining.
Beckham, who won 13 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, told The Athletic: "I think it has been a difficult time over the last five or ten years, but it was always going to be when the boss left the club.
"It wasn’t just that, we lost players like Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane and Gary Neville, all of these players that had been at United for so long; you lose part of that, and you lose part of the club.
"So it was always going to be a difficult time. But we’d like it to change pretty quickly because I think it’s gone on for too long now."
United have lost 19 games in all competitions this season, their most since 1977-78 (also 19), with nine of those coming at Old Trafford – their joint-most at home in a season and the first time it has happened in the Premier League.
Their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday marked the first time they had conceded in 10 successive games in all competitions since October 2021, while the 82 goals they have let in this season is their most since 1970-71 (also 82).
Beckham was speaking at the premiere of 99, the Amazon Prime documentary covering United’s iconic treble-winning season 25 years ago.
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