Thomas Tuchel has announced that Harry Kane will not participate in England's friendly against Wales on Thursday. Kane sustained an injury during Bayern Munich's 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. This
absence paves the way for Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa to take the lead role. Kane has been exceptional for Bayern, scoring 11 goals in six Bundesliga matches under Vincent Kompany's leadership.
Tuchel expressed optimism about Kane's availability for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Latvia. "Harry will miss the game. He got a kick in his last game with Bayern Munich," Tuchel stated on Wednesday. "It was too risky that he got another kick and would be in an up and down situation pain wise. I think we are convinced he will be ready for the match against Latvia. "
England boasts a strong record against Wales, winning their last seven encounters across all competitions. Their longest current winning streaks are against Luxembourg (nine), Andorra, and San Marino (both eight). However, England has lost their previous two friendlies, including a 1-3 defeat to Senegal in June this year.
Kane's impressive performance includes reaching 100 goals for Bayern in just 104 matches, setting a new record in Europe's top five leagues. This achievement surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who reached the milestone in 105 games for Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively.
Despite his outstanding form, Kane ranked 13th in the recent Ballon d'Or standings, below teammate Cole Palmer who placed eighth. Tuchel believes Kane deserved a higher position: "I never know when the Ballon d'Or is and what the ranking is. I'm the last person to see it and know it. I'm not the biggest fan of individual awards because I truly believe you can only win in football, the field is too big as a team player, and he stands out in what he does. He should be higher than 13th for sure. "
Since early 2025, only Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid has scored more goals than Kane among players in Europe's top five leagues, with Mbappe netting 44 compared to Kane's 39.
Exciting Atmosphere Anticipated
The match promises an exciting atmosphere with many Welsh fans expected to attend. Tuchel commented on this: "It will mean it's a good atmosphere. I think there will be a lot of Welsh fans here," he said. "We play football so hopefully it will be emotional and loud and have the character of a derby. "
He acknowledged Wales' potential as underdogs: "I can imagine what Craig Bellamy tells his players. I think they want to make the most out of their role as an underdog. " Tuchel assured that England would not underestimate Wales' capabilities.
The options for England's captaincy include Jordan Henderson, John Stones, or Declan Rice during Kane's absence.
