Bayern Munich and Croatia defender Josip Stanišić knows exactly how difficult it is to deal with club teammate Harry Kane — and he is not just talking about the England captain’s goalscoring ability.
Ahead of Croatia’s clash with England, Stanišić gave Kane a ringing endorsement in the Ballon d’Or conversation, making it clear that he would have no hesitation putting his Bayern Munich teammate at the top of his personal ballot.
“I would definitely vote for Harry Kane to win the Ballon d’Or. Harry is
not only about goals and assists, I see how much he works defensively for the team — he’s very important for the team in that regard. I would vote for him without hesitation,” said Stanišić (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
That is an insightful perspective from a defender who sees Kane up close at Bayern Munich. The England striker’s goals and assists are obviously the headline numbers, but Stanišić is highlighting the less glamorous parts of Kane’s game: his defensive work rate, positioning, pressing, and willingness to contribute when Bayern do not have the ball.
And then there is the small matter of actually trying to defend against him.
“How to defend him? That’s difficult. You need to be aware of his positioning all the time, because he only needs one second to score. You always have to be alert and close to him,” said Stanišić.
That might be the ultimate Kane scouting report — you simply cannot let the Englishman out of your sight.
Defenders can spend most of a match doing everything right, keeping him quiet for long stretches and feeling like they have finally contained the threat, only for Kane to find half a yard of space.
One second is all he needs.
For Stanišić, this is not simply about stopping one of the world’s best finishers. It is about constantly tracking one of the smartest attackers on the pitch.
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