Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that England will eventually need a new attacking solution rather than expecting another striker to replicate Harry Kane’s unique role for the national team.
Kane strengthened his record as England’s leading scorer by netting his 87th international goal against the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The Bayern Munich forward is also closing in on another major landmark, sitting just two appearances short of Peter Shilton’s 125-cap total.
At 33, Kane remains central to England’s plans and continues to produce at an exceptional rate. He scored 73 goals for club and country last season, form that has placed him among the players being discussed in connection with the Ballon d’Or.
Tuchel, however, accepts that England cannot simply wait for a like-for-like replacement to emerge. Kane’s finishing, movement, work rate and leadership have developed into a combination that the England coach believes will be extremely difficult to reproduce.
Finding reliable cover for the captain has already been a long-term challenge. Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney have filled supporting roles at recent major tournaments, but both are now in their thirties and were left out of the latest Nations League squad.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin provides another option in the current group, although he is also approaching 30. England’s younger centre-forward pool remains limited, with Liam Delap currently the only English striker under 27 to have scored in the Champions League.
That shortage has encouraged Tuchel to experiment with alternatives. In Prague, Jude Bellingham moved into a central attacking role after replacing Kane, operating either as a number nine or in a position just behind the striker.
The England coach has increasingly explored ways to keep Bellingham closer to Kane, including a 4-2-3-1 shape that allows the Real Madrid midfielder to move across the attacking line and create overloads on either side.
Bellingham’s instinct to attack the box and influence decisive moments also gives England another potential route if Kane is unavailable. Rather than searching for a direct successor, Tuchel’s approach suggests England may eventually replace Kane’s impact through a different tactical structure and a broader mix of attacking qualities.