England captain Harry Kane will be 33 after next year’s World Cup but after scoring his 450th career goal in the 1-0 win over Andorra, Thomas Tuchel has warned fans not to expect him to follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s path
Harry Kane has been warned he will find it “difficult” to carry on nearly as long as Cristiano Ronaldo. England captain Kane, who will be 33 after next year’s World Cup, has insisted he wants to emulate Portugal superstar Ronaldo who is still going at 40.
But England boss Thomas Tuchel says the next year will be vital in terms of fitness and Kane’s long-term ambitions as he says the demands of football are only getting harder. Former Real Madrid and Manchester United star Ronaldo has gone to the Saudi Pro League but is still playing and winning with Portugal who won the Nations League on Sunday.
Kane scored his 450th career goal for England against Andorra and is also expected to lead the attack against Senegal despite then jetting off the FIFA Club World Cup.
Tuchel said: “I think it gets more and more difficult in today’s game, Cristiano took a step into a league which is not as competitive as the Premier League or Spain – where he played before – as part of keeping his performance up. I think he is always the exception to the rule, we cannot go now from Cristiano Ronaldo and think everyone can play until 39 and 40 in today’s game.
“It will be very demanding, professionalism is a given in today’s game, otherwise you have no chance and Harry has this natural ability to score goals.
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“He scored his 450th goal in the Andorra match, it was a very decisive goal, a very important one and there are at the moment no signs he cannot do it at a high level. How long he can do it, I have not a crystal ball, let’s see.
“Let’s see, let’s see. He is in a club where they play dominant football, I think that can suit him.
«Just the outlook until the World Cup, he knows that it is a crucial year for him, also in terms of fitness and being ready to compete in the World Cup in the heat, in the humidity.”
But despite Kane’s advancing years and also the heat conditions and demands of the World Cup next summer in the United States, Tuchel says he has no particular concerns for him ahead of next summer.
Tuchel added: “There is no concern about Harry. There is no concern, but we need to give it thought – like how much age influences how you react to the heat.”
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