EM-Final - The suffering time of Harry Kane never ends
When the final whistle blew in the EURO final, Spain's celebration knew no bounds. Twelve years after their last EURO title, the Iberians were once again the kings of Europe – and with their fourth title, they also became record EURO champions. Mikel Oyarzabal scored the goal that made it 2:1 for Spain just before the end, a goal that particularly stung for Harry Kane.
The 30-year-old has been one of Europe's best strikers for years. For his home team Tottenham Hotspur, he scored 213 goals in the Premier League – a record for the North London club and the second-best total in the league's history behind striker legend Alan Shearer. He was also named top scorer in the league three times.
After his 100-million euro transfer to FC Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, Kane made an impact in the Bundesliga: He scored 36 goals in his first season and was the top scorer with a significant lead. But he failed to win a title with Bayern in his first season – and he never won a title in England.
EURO Final: Harry Kane loses yet another final
Six finals have now been lost by the 30-year-old. With Tottenham, Kane lost in the Carabao Cup final, one of English cup competitions, first in 2015 against Chelsea (0:2), then in 2021 against Manchester City (0:1). With Tottenham, he also lost the all-English Champions League final in 2019 against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool with 0:2. In his first game for Bayern, it didn't go any better – a 0:3 loss against RB Leipzig in the Supercup marked the first titleless season for the German champions since the 2011/2012 season.
But it wasn't any easier for Kane on the national team stage. In the EURO 2021 final at Wembley Stadium, England lost to Italy. Kane converted his penalty kick in the shootout, but when three players failed, England missed out on the title.
Not even with Bayern does he win a title
And in the 2024 final, the striker was almost invisible due to the unusually cautious British playing style. He had only 13 ball touches and was only involved in 50% of his teammates' passes. The most notable scene besides the substitution: his only foul, for which the captain was rightly cautioned. "It's not easy to get to these finals. You have to take it when it comes, and we didn't make it again. That will haunt us for a long time," Kane said after the final.
Kane's suffering continues, but he can soon make a new attempt in Munich. After the disappointing season, Bayern were active on the transfer market. Maybe it will work out for Kane in 2025 – and he can finally hold a trophy in his hands.
Despite his impressive record with Tottenham and a successful debut season at FC Bayern Munich, Harry Kane has yet to win a major title in England or Germany. His misfortune continued in the EURO 2024 final, where he struggled to make an impact due to England's cautious playing style, ultimately finishing as runner-ups to an unnamed opponent. Meanwhile, Spain, rivals from the earlier text, celebrated their fifth EURO title and solidified their status as record champions.
