Match made in Munich: King Kane has redefined the role of a Bundesliga striker | Harry Kane

Harry Kane is an ideal match for Bayern Munich. He’s tailored for the Bundesliga, which has been the highest league in Europe when it comes to objectives scored for years. German soccer is characterised by exchanges of punches, with the ball transferring forwards and backwards and loads of probabilities on each side; and Bayern are within the penalty space extra usually than every other group. As a result of Kane is assured and exact in entrance of objective and makes use of his peak and heading capacity to his benefit from corners and free-kicks, he scores like nowhere else.

The statistics are implausible, together with his scoring fee within the Bundesliga greater than one-and-a-half occasions higher than within the Premier League and for the nationwide group. He has scored extra objectives (74) than he has performed video games (72) within the Bundesliga, considerably surpassing Gerd Müller’s document (0.85).

Kane might break information left, proper and centre. With 12 objectives in 9 league video games this season, he’ll surpass Robert Lewandowski’s 41 objectives in 2020-21 if he continues at this fee. Kane has transformed all 18 of his penalties within the Bundesliga. The best way he prepares for them, his posture, his capturing approach – it’s extraordinarily skilled. I actually slipped on the final penalty of my profession. I flew in, the ball went over.

Kane made the appropriate resolution in transferring to Bayern. At 32, he’s the dominant determine within the Bundesliga. He didn’t win any titles in England, however he has received one in Munich, with extra to observe, together with probably a global one. To retire as a real nice, you want that form of glory. At Bayern, Kane can construct himself a throne within the autumn of his profession as a result of the membership give him a number of affect and he enjoys huge freedom.

In his third season in Munich, Kane is ready to switch his fashion of play to the membership. He now interprets his function as he did at Tottenham: as a striker who will get the ball in midfield, distributes it and hits crossfield passes. I can’t keep in mind a centre-forward whose passing was higher. He additionally has a eager sense of when to maneuver into the penalty space.

It isn’t uncommon for a participant to make the membership his personal at Bayern. That’s why it’s known as a participant’s membership (Spielerverein). This particular tradition of leaving the formation to the gamers can typically backfire. Kane skilled this in 2024, when Bayern didn’t win the league after 11 years in a row, partly as a result of they’d an opponent within the league who had a robust season, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.

The strategy has different disadvantages. Bayern want a coach who recognises potential. In any other case, gamers can fail, even when they had been signed for some huge cash. James Rodríguez, Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mané and João Palhinha by no means turned a part of the group. It wasn’t due to their talents, however reasonably as a result of they didn’t have a transparent place. Declan Rice may additionally have had a tough time in midfield, the place his three rivals would have been Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic – three Germany internationals who’ve internalised the tradition of Bayern.

However now one thing has been discovered once more. The squad is the appropriate measurement, the common age is true, and the roles are given. On the again, three strong, quick centre-backs, Jonathan Tah, Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae, can compete with the world’s greatest strikers. Within the centre, Kimmich, Goretzka and Pavlovic maintain their very own and also can take turns. Two specialists of worldwide calibre play on the wings, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz. And up entrance, King Kane brings all of it collectively.

As a result of the group has a hierarchy, others additionally profit. Serge Gnabry has discovered a brand new place at No 10. One other good instance is the 17-year-old Lennart Karl. When he comes into the sport, he’s instantly there, capable of contribute his expertise for dribbling and capturing to the group’s success. This rapidly makes him extra vital.

There may be competitors for some positions as a result of it’s not clear how they need to be crammed. Konrad Laimer has now established himself as a full-back. As a passionate, robust runner and tireless driving drive, he enhances his teammates nicely.

All this requires a supervisor with a really feel for the membership’s tradition. Former footballers who’ve performed at a excessive stage are greatest suited to this. They carry an intrinsic understanding of the processes of a group and have pure authority. That is true of Vincent Kompany. He is aware of which gamers match collectively and the way. He’s very a lot to Bayern’s liking.

Now comes the section during which Bayern will face prime worldwide groups. This can present how steady their construction is. Paris Saint-Germain – who they play on Tuesday – Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal have related expertise. Nonetheless, Luis Enrique, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta place a lot higher emphasis on the system. Will probably be thrilling to see who wins: the group that has developed itself or the one that’s extra strictly formed by the coach’s enjoying philosophy.

I count on Bayern to be tough to beat if their leaders stay injury-free. Their monopoly within the Bundesliga is to their benefit, as they play in a stream there. It’s arduous to think about which German group they might lose to in the mean time. After a successful streak, the group is brimming with confidence and spirit. You may see that within the moments when the gamers cheer one another. They’re a unit.

Nonetheless, will probably be fascinating to see what occurs when Jamal Musiala returns from harm. The group is doing nicely with out him and enjoying excellently. For the time being, every thing is concentrated on Kane, and he’s repaying that with objectives. Alongside him, Musiala is without doubt one of the prime earners, his contract having been prolonged till 2030. He is a good expertise, a participant together with his personal profile. Will or not it’s potential to combine him efficiently, or will this weaken Bayern’s readability? As we all know, a group is simply profitable whether it is greater than the sum of its particular person components.

Philipp Lahm’s column was produced in partnership with Oliver Fritsch at Die Zeit, the German on-line journal