Where would England be without Harry Kane? The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker is in the form of his life, scoring 91 goals in 125 caps, but by the 2028 European Championship he will be 35. Manager Thomas Tuchel admits, "You will not get another Harry Kane."
Tuchel sees Jude Bellingham as a potential solution: "I like him as a nine." Since the 2026 World Cup, the Real Madrid star has scored 10 times in 12 England matches. BBC's Ian Dennis believes Bellingham has already emerged as the replacement, capable of playing a false nine role. However, former goalkeeper Paul Robinson disagrees, stating Bellingham is not an out-and-out number nine.
In terms of natural number nines, England lack depth. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has made a case as back-up with 17 goals in 40 Premier League appearances for Leeds United, but questions remain over his finishing reliability.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing