Harry Kane is, by almost any measure, irreplaceable. That much is accepted. But football is an unforgiving business, and with the 2028 European Championship on the horizon, the question of who leads England's attack when the Bayern Munich striker eventually steps aside is one the Football Association and Thomas Tuchel cannot keep deferring.

Kane's numbers remain staggering. He netted twice against Czechia at Wembley in a 3-0 win on Tuesday, taking his England tally to 91 goals in 125 caps — making him his nation's joint-highest appearance-maker. He also claimed a league and cup double with Bayern last season, contributing 61 goals in 51 games in all competitions. The Ballon d'Or conversation is no longer fanciful. This is a man operating at the very peak of his powers.

Yet the arithmetic is uncomfortable. Kane turns 34 in July 2028, and will be 35 by the time the Euros kick off that summer. Even the most optimistic projections suggest Tuchel — or whoever manages England then — will need to have built something without him. As the German coach himself acknowledged: "You will not get another Harry Kane. We look for different options and solutions."

Could Bellingham lead the line?

The most intriguing solution floated by Tuchel is one hiding in plain sight: Jude Bellingham deployed as a number nine. The Real Madrid midfielder has already demonstrated he can operate as a false nine — indeed, it was arguably his most productive period at club level during his first season in the Spanish capital.

Tuchel has been unambiguous about his enthusiasm for the idea. "I like him as a nine," the England manager said ahead of the 7-0 victory over Croatia. "He is a natural goalscorer and he has the hunger to be on the scoreboard."

The statistics back him up. Since the 2026 World Cup began, Bellingham has scored 10 times in 12 England appearances, compared with just six goals in the 48 international matches before that tournament. The acceleration in his output is hard to dismiss.

BBC Radio 5 Live's Ian Dennis made the case plainly: "The person who is going to replace Kane has already emerged — and that's Jude Bellingham. He will also eclipse Kane in terms of appearances. This is a player who will continue to go from strength to strength."

There are sceptics, though. Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson pushed back on 5 Live, arguing: "He is not a nine. Bellingham plays off others. I don't see Bellingham as the out-and-out number nine." It is a fair counter — a player who thrives on dynamic runs from deep is not automatically suited to the relentless physicality of leading the line through a major tournament.

The natural striker picture is concerning

If Bellingham is not the answer at nine, England's options become considerably thinner. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has made a reasonable case as Kane's understudy since joining Leeds United, contributing 17 Premier League goals in 40 appearances. But at 29, he is not a long-term solution, and his underlying numbers give pause — he underperformed his expected goals figure by 2.13 in the Premier League last season, which is not the mark of a reliable finisher at the highest level.

Beyond Calvert-Lewin, the cupboard looks rather bare. Nottingham Forest's Liam Delap and Ipswich Town's Chuba Akpom are the only other English centre-forwards to have found the net in the Premier League this season, each with a single goal. Perhaps most tellingly, English left-backs have collectively outscored English centre-forwards so far in 2026-27 — six goals to five. That is a damning indictment of the talent pipeline in the country's most demanding position.

The verdict

England are fortunate that Kane shows no signs of declining any time soon, and Tuchel has time to experiment without the consequences feeling immediately dire. The most pragmatic route is probably a Bellingham-led false nine role supported by the considerable creativity of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze — a system built around collective movement rather than a single focal point.

But if England want a genuine, old-fashioned centre-forward to succeed Kane, they will likely be waiting for a player who has not yet fully emerged. That is not a crisis — yet. It could become one if the talent pool does not deepen soon.

Frequently asked

Who is most likely to replace Harry Kane for England?
Jude Bellingham is the most discussed option, with England manager Thomas Tuchel expressing enthusiasm for playing him as a false nine. However, some pundits feel Bellingham is better suited to a deeper role, and no obvious natural centre-forward replacement has yet emerged.
How many goals has Harry Kane scored for England?
As of his brace against Czechia in June 2025, Harry Kane has scored 91 goals in 125 England appearances, making him his country's all-time top scorer and joint-highest appearance-maker.
Are there any young English strikers ready to challenge for the England squad?
The options are limited at present. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been Kane's primary back-up, while Liam Delap and Chuba Akpom have made early Premier League appearances this season. However, no young English striker has yet made a compelling case to be Kane's long-term successor.