Harry Kane wrote the most impressive chapter since joining Bayern Munich in 2023. After moving from Tottenham Hotspur to join the German giant, Kane didn't just bring his undoubted quality into the Bundesliga, but also started leaving his mark in the UEFA Champions League very quickly, a competition where he keeps pulling off extraordinary feats.
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But Kane's influence goes far beyond the numbers; he has grown into a real figurehead at Bayern. And now, following that record as the highest-scoring English player in Champions League history, Kane stands alongside the greatest names in European soccer.
Champions League record
Still early in his Champions League career with Bayern, Kane has already managed to set a historic milestone. In the 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb, not only did the English forward score four goals, but he also eclipsed Wayne Rooney's record as the top-scoring English player in the competition with 33 goals. Therein he says:
"Whenever you mention Wayne Rooney, you know you're doing something right," Kane said, reflecting on what the record meant to his career. "He's one of the greatest English players ever, and to be ahead of him for something like the Champions League is a big achievement."
This by Kane shows his quality and consistency. Since joining Bayern, he has been a goal-scoring machine. Whether it is the Bundesliga or Champions League, Kane will always be ready to seize whatever opportunity comes on his way.
Impressive numbers
Harry Kane's Champions League numbers are testimonies to his differentiating ability in changing games and making impacts in big ones. Throughout his career in the tournament, Kane has built a successful track record that has only strengthened since joining Bayern. Here are some numbers underlining his importance to the German team:
- With 33 goals in the Champions League, surpassing the record of Wayne Rooney as England's highest scorer in the competition.
- Four goals against Dinamo Zagreb in matchday one of this season's Champions League, a telltale sign that he often rises to the occasion in the largest competitions.
- Thirteen penalties already for Bayern-seven of them in the Bundesliga-proof of accuracy when it most matters.
- He has become one of those rare players who have managed to score six hat-tricks for Bayern in all competitions, including one in the Champions League.
These stats not only make Kane a sure Bayern key player but also position him amongst the very best forwards in Europe.
Kane at Bayern: dominance and efficiency
Since arriving, Kane has wasted little time stamping his mark as Bayern's leading scorer to help the side carry on its ruling both in Germany and the rest of Europe. The English striker completed his maiden Bundesliga season with the European Golden Shoe-a great achievement that puts him in the same league as Gerd Müller and Robert Lewandowski.
In the 2023/24 season, Kane scored a sensational 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances, setting a record as the fastest player to reach that number of goals in the league. To think it wasn't even Bayern's best season. His performances were of the highest level throughout, contributing not only with his goals but also with assists and memorable displays in important matches.
The win against Dinamo Zagreb wasn't an exception either. Kane has also given his opinion about the importance of this performance in the Champions League:
"Scoring four goals, including three penalties, was an incredible feeling. It doesn't matter how the goals come—penalties, headers, or regular finishes—the key is helping the team. And when you do it in a competition like the Champions League, it feels even more special."
That mentality and versatility have made Kane key at Bayern: not only a finisher but a big-game, big-play leader time after time.