Harry Kane has been warned that following Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by appearing at a World Cup finals late in his career would be a “big ask”. Former Bayern Munich midfielder Dietmar Hamann, speaking to GOAL, is not convinced the two-time Bundesliga title winner will still be part of England’s plans for a major tournament in the summer of 2030, when he would be 36.

Kane is poised to sign a new contract at Bayern Munich.

He has just featured at that tournament, scoring six goals as the Three Lions went down to Argentina in the semi-finals and eventually finished third. Kane wore the captain’s armband throughout a campaign that showed plenty of promise, but ended without any silverware.

The prolific No.9 is already England’s all-time leading scorer with 85 international goals, and he also holds that record at Tottenham. For Bayern, he has scored 146 goals in 147 appearances for the German giants.

A fresh deal is expected to be agreed at the Allianz Arena, with only 12 months remaining on his current contract and no sign of the evergreen striker slowing down. He recently turned 33 and is the favourite to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2026.

Bayern are understandably eager to keep Kane at the club, while England do not have an obvious successor ready to take over in the central striker’s role. The expectation is that he will continue as Three Lions captain through a home European Championship in 2028.

Will Kane play for England beyond Euro 2028?

Will he carry on after that, following the example of Ronaldo and Messi? When that question was put to Hamann, the former Bayern midfielder, speaking courtesy of MrQ, told GOAL: “He’s turned 33 now so he'll be 36 going on 37 in four years' time. It's a big ask.

“Obviously, we saw two of the all-time greats playing in the World Cup, one 39, one 41. One did well, the other one didn't. You know, I wouldn't put him in the same bracket as those two.

“Even though he would be a few years younger than these two guys playing in the World Cup, I think it's a big ask. It's a big ask because he started playing pretty early. He went out on loan in the lower leagues, played an awful lot of games in the Premier League, didn't really have many injuries. The odd ankle injury, I think he's had.

“He hardly missed a game in the last couple of years here in Munich. To see him in the World Cup in four years' time, if you put me down to an answer now, I'd probably say no.”

Does England's record scorer have another World Cup in him?

Former England winger Chris Waddle has also questioned whether Kane will make it to another World Cup. Speaking to GOAL recently on the same topic, he said: “Fitness is a great thing to have. Some players develop, get better as they get older. Some find it easier. Not easier, but easy.

“We'll see how his legs are in two years' time, at the Euros even. People will be questioning that. The thing with Harry's advantage is he's a fit lad, we know that. He doesn't rely on pace. He's got a great football brain.

“Sometimes you see players in tournaments and you think, ‘His legs are going there’. I'm looking at Ronaldo as an example. I watched Portugal play in the World Cup and his legs were gone in my eyes for that level of football. Lionel Messi still had bits of brilliance until the rest of his team-mates decided to try and kick everybody out of the country.

“So I think there's a time and a place where you've actually got to think, ‘Yeah, he can still play, and he can still play like Messi does in Miami, a good level for him’. You know, Ronaldo in Saudi can still handle it. And Harry, eventually he'll come to a time where you think the Bundesliga is too quick. Where do you go from there?

“The next World Cup, it's a big ask for him, I think, to play in that tournament. I think some of these players can think, ‘Yeah, I'm still playing football, but that level's out of me now, and I've enjoyed it’. I think some of these players try and play too long and it doesn't look great on them. But I'm sure Harry will know when the time's right to say, ‘No, I can't play for England anymore’.”

GOAT status: 100 goals, cap record and a trophy

Kane will be targeting 100 international goals, while he is only four caps short of equalling Peter Shilton’s England record of 125 appearances. GOAT status is still there for him to claim.

A major international trophy would cement that legacy, but it remains to be seen whether the Three Lions can finally bring football home over the next four years and whether their current captain will still have a leading role in those title pursuits.