“Why would Argentina not rely on Messi or Portugal not rely on Cristiano Ronaldo? This is totally normal… In the absence of Harry Kane, we don’t have the same threat,” Tuchel told ITV when asked about the team’s perceived over-reliance on the striker.

England left a poor impression following a 1–1 draw against Uruguay and a surprising 1–0 defeat to Japan. The team’s lack of offensive intensity and a focal point in attack was evident, as its only goal across both matches came via defender Ben White off a corner kick.

Argentina and Portugal prove they can win without Messi and Ronaldo

While Tuchel’s assessment of a team’s dependence on a superstar holds weight, both Argentina and Portugal have demonstrated the ability to secure results without their legendary icons on the pitch. Roberto Martinez’s men proved this during the March FIFA window, securing a 2–0 victory over the USMNT, even though they were later held to a scoreless draw against Mexico.

Argentina have also shown they can thrive without their captain in even higher-stakes environments. Lionel Scaloni’s men managed a 1–0 win over Uruguay without Messi and famously thrashed Brazil 4–1 in March 2025 during the World Cup Qualifiers, proving the depth of the world champions’ squad.

Harry Kane’s monstrous season

Kane’s absence is even more striking when looking at the incredible numbers he has put up so far this season. Across 40 matches in all competitions for Bayern Munich, the English striker has a staggering 48 goals, making him by far the top scorer for both his club and the Bundesliga.

The impact Kane has on any team is immense, and his absence is equally significant. “Bayern Munich in the absence of Harry Kane does not have the same threat. No team in the world has the same threat,” Tuchel concluded in his analysis of the forward’s importance.

Kane completed training ahead of the match, but Bayern’s staff determined he was not yet ready to start a high‑intensity knockout fixture. Nicolas Jackson leads the attack once again after his strong showing in Bundesliga play.

Before the match, manager Vincent Kompany explained the decision. “Harry Kane got through training very well today,” he said. “We still have to make a decision about what is best for tomorrow.”

Bayern Munich’s lineup vs Atalanta

Bayern introduce significant rotation for the first leg in Bergamo against Atalanta, with Kompany making six changes from their 4–1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend. The adjustments aim to manage fitness across a congested schedule while covering for key injuries.

Bayern Munich starting XI: Jonas Urbig; Josip Stanisic, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Konrad Laimer; Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic; Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, Luis Diaz; Nicolas Jackson.

Messi’s career is a catalog of soccer milestones that are truly staggering. One of his most notable achievements has become nearly insurmountable, even for the next generation’s best. During the 2012-13 La Liga season, Messi didn’t just dominate—he transcended the sport, scoring in 21 consecutive league matches, the longest scoring streak in the history of Europe’s top leagues.

Across those 21 games, Messi netted 33 goals and became the first player to score against every opponent in a single season. He finished the campaign with 46 league goals, guiding Barcelona to 100 points under Tito Vilanova’s leadership.

It was an era defined by absolute dominance: four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards, 91 goals in a single calendar year, and consistency that turned elite soccer into his personal playground. Messi’s achievements during this period solidified his legacy as one of the greatest in the history of the sport.

Haaland’s streak ends

Erling Haaland’s 12-game scoring streak ended abruptly when Manchester City fell 1-0 to Aston Villa. The City’s first defeat since August 31 came courtesy of Matty Cash’s decisive strike, according to BBC Sport. Haaland even put the ball in the net in the closing minutes, but the goal was ruled offside, ending his hopes of challenging Messi’s record this season.

Mbappe and Kane fall short

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe’s 11-game streak came to an end against Juventus. The French star has been unstoppable with Real Madrid, scoring 43 goals in 44 appearances in 2025, yet even that level of consistency was not enough to threaten Messi’s historic mark.

Harry Kane’s 10-game scoring streak for Bayern Munich ended in a 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach. Despite scoring 20 goals in his first 13 matches, Kane fell short, though German media described his start to the season as “career-best.” Three elite strikers. Three record chases. All ended the same way.

To put Messi’s record in perspective, scoring in more than 10 consecutive matches is extraordinary in elite soccer. In the context of the Premier League, the record for consecutive scoring matches is 11, set by Jamie Vardy in the 2015-16 season—exactly half of Messi’s streak. The closest any European player has come to this mark was Gerd Müller, who scored in 16 consecutive Bundesliga matches more than half a century ago.

Bayern cruised to a 4-0 win over Club Brugge on Matchday 3 of the Champions League, a result that lifted them to the top of their group. Kane scored the team’s second goal of the night, a strike that also earned him a spot in the record books.

With that goal, Kane reached 20 goals in just 12 games for Bayern Munich across all competitions this season, surpassing the pace set by both Messi and Ronaldo at their peaks.

Messi reached the 20-goal mark in 17 matches on three different occasions with Barcelona, while Ronaldo needed 13 games to do it during the 2013–14 season with Real Madrid.

The former Tottenham star now leads the scoring charts in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League, solidifying his status as one of the game’s elite forwards. His latest goal also brought his career tally in Europe’s top competition to 45, moving him into 18th place all-time — ahead of Antoine Griezmann and Didier Drogba.

Kane keeps shattering records

That’s not the only milestone Kane has reached this season. Earlier this month, the England captain became the fastest player across Europe’s top five leagues — Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and England — to score 100 goals for a single club, doing so in just 104 games. He broke the previous mark held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who both needed 105 matches to hit the century mark.

Kane is also chasing another remarkable feat that only two players have ever achieved. The Bayern striker has now scored in eight consecutive matches, closing in on the record of 12 straight games shared by Ronaldo and Haaland. The Norwegian will have a chance to extend his own streak on Sunday, October 26, when Manchester City face Aston Villa.

Kylian Mbappe came close to joining that elite group, scoring in 11 straight matches before being held off the scoresheet against Juventus in a recent 1–0 Champions League win.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Kane will not be available to face Wales after the striker suffered an ankle injury while playing for Bayern Munich in their 3–0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the former Tottenham star will be on the bench in today’s game.

“Harry will miss the game. He got a kick in his last game and it is too risky he gets another kick. We gave him the chance that everything calms down and we are hopeful he will be ready for Latvia,” Tuchel told reporters during a press conference.

With Kane sidelined, Tuchel also revealed who could take over the captain’s armband in his absence. “The captain will be one of Jordan Henderson, John Stones or Declan Rice,” he added.

What’s next for England?

Europe remains the only confederation without a team officially qualified for the 2026 World Cup, as UEFA’s qualifying process is still underway and will be decided in the coming months. England have not yet secured their spot, but they’re just one win away from doing so.

Head coach Thomas Tuchel’s decision to rest Harry Kane against Wales is intended to keep the striker healthy for England’s upcoming qualifier against Latvia, which will be played away on Tuesday, October 14.

The Three Lions have been perfect so far in Group K, winning all five of their matches. A victory over Latvia would mathematically seal their place at the 2026 World Cup. England will then wrap up their qualifying campaign in November, with two final fixtures — against Serbia at home on November 13 and away to Albania on November 16.

With those two goals, Kane became the fastest player to reach 20 goal contributions across Europe’s top five leagues. The forward hit the milestone in just 742 minutes, tallying 17 goals and three assists, edging past the record Messi once held.

Messi had set the benchmark during the 2011-12 season with Barcelona, when he needed 749 minutes to reach 20 goal contributions. That campaign was historic for the Argentine, as he won the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, and later captured the Ballon d’Or.

Rounding out the podium in this achievement is Messi again, who took 844 minutes to hit the same mark in the 2016-17 season. Kane also holds the fourth spot on the list, having reached 20 goal contributions in 871 minutes while playing for Tottenham in the 2020/21 season.

Kane keeps breaking records

This season has been nothing short of spectacular for Harry Kane at Bayern Munich, where the team has won every competitive match so far. The English striker has also been rewriting the record books with a series of historic milestones.

After scoring a brace in Bayern’s Champions League opener against Chelsea, Kane became just the third player in competition history—alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar—to record 20 or more goals with two different clubs.

He struck again in the Bundesliga with another double against Werder Bremen, a performance that made him the fastest player across Europe’s top five leagues—Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and England—to reach 100 goals for a single club.

As if that weren’t enough, Kane also etched his name into English soccer history. With his latest brace against Pafos FC, the striker reached 55 total goal contributions in the Champions League (44 goals and 11 assists), surpassing David Beckham’s previous mark of 53 to become the most productive English player in the competition’s history.

The two-goal performance at Allianz Arena made Kane the fastest player in top European leagues—Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and England—to reach 100 goals for a single club. The English striker achieved the milestone in just 104 games, averaging nearly a goal per match.

Previously, the record was shared by Cristiano Ronaldo and Haaland. Ronaldo reached 100 goals for Real Madrid in 105 matches during the 2011–12 season, scoring the milestone goal in a UEFA Champions League clash against Olympique Lyonnais.

Later, Haaland matched Ronaldo’s record with Manchester City in 2024. The Norwegian scored his 100th goal for the Citizens in a 2-2 Premier League draw against Arsenal.

Kane’s historic season

This season is shaping up to be one of Kane’s most remarkable. Earlier in the campaign, he became just the third player in Champions League history to score 20 or more goals for two different clubs, joining Ronaldo and Neymar.

Beyond club success, Kane is also approaching a historic milestone for England. His brace against Chelsea lifted his Champions League total to 53 goal contributions (42 goals, 11 assists), just one shy of David Beckham’s all-time English record of 54.

Beckham tallied 54 contributions with Manchester United and Real Madrid combined, while Wayne Rooney is third with 51 contributions in the competition. With Kane firing on all cylinders, he continues to etch his name among Europe’s elite and is well on his way to rewriting the record books.

With his penalty goal against Chelsea to extend Bayern’s lead to 2-0, Kane became just the third player in Champions League history to score 20 or more goals with two different clubs. Prior to him, only Ronaldo and Neymar had managed the feat.

Ronaldo tallied 21 goals during his Manchester United tenure before becoming the all-time leading scorer in the competition with 105 for Real Madrid. He also added 14 goals in 23 games with Juventus.

Neymar, meanwhile, netted 21 times for Barcelona and 22 for Paris Saint-Germain. Kane matched those numbers with 21 goals during his time at Tottenham Hotspur and has now added 21 more with Bayern Munich.

Kane closing in on Beckham’s English record

Beyond his club success, Kane is also on the verge of making history for England. With his brace, the striker reached 53 total goal contributions in the Champions League (42 goals and 11 assists), just one shy of David Beckham’s all-time mark among English players.

Beckham currently holds the record with 54 contributions — 14 goals and 30 assists for Manchester United, plus two goals and eight assists with Real Madrid. He did not record a goal or assist during his stints with AC Milan and PSG.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney rounds out the top three with 51 goal contributions at the Champions League during his time with the Red Devils.

Luis Suarez recently joined DavooXeneize’s latest stream, where they discussed the world’s most outstanding forwards, even picking his top three best strikers in the world. Harry Kane emerged as a prime example of a complete striker, boasting 161 assists. Suarez praised Kane, stating, “He has a lot.” In response, Davo mentioned that he still holds an impressive 315 assists. With a chuckle, the Uruguayan striker replied, “Ah, he’s still far away.”

Although Luis Suarez peak performance arrived during his Liverpool and FC Barcelona stint, he keeps showcasing his impressive talent. At Inter Miami, he is currently the top assists with 10, while scoring six goals. Also, his capacity to create spaces and non-statistical work remains crucial and difficult to substitute, as he works as an engine for Lionel Messi, Tadeo Allende and Telasco Segovia.

Luis Suarez’s words resonate as a testament to his illustrious career. Over 20 years, the Uruguayan forward played 911 professional matches, amassing 576 goals and 315 assists. He ranks as the third highest scorer in both FC Barcelona’s history, with 195 goals, and the Uruguayan national team, with 69 goals. These feats place him among the soccer’s most dominant figures, sharing the spotlight with icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Luis Suarez opens up on his Inter Miami future after this MLS season

Luis Suarez remains a pivotal figure in Inter Miami’s lineup, with his contract set to expire in December 2025 alongside those of Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi, according to Transfermarkt. However, no advancements have been made in his contract renewal, raising questions about his future with the team in the upcoming season. Suarez, addressing these concerns, made his intentions unmistakably clear.

“I’m happy, I’m content. I feel good physically, I feel like I’m helping the team, and if the club wants me, obviously we won’t have any problems,” Luis Suarez said, as reported by ESPN. His words suggest that the decision regarding his renewal may not hinge on financial incentives. As a veteran, he expresses a strong desire to continue playing alongside Lionel Messi, even hinting at the possibility of retiring with him.

Inter Miami have yet to form a concrete plan for life after Suarez’s eventual retirement. They signed promising talent Allen Obando, but his impact has been hindered by injuries, and since he is currently on loan, his long-term future with the team remains uncertain. Consequently, a potential Suarez’s retirement could leave the team with only Fabrice Picault, who, despite his versatility, is not a natural striker.

“For number 9 (striker), I would go with Julian (Alvarez) first, then Harry Kane, and I really like Haaland. I like him more than Lautaro (Martinez), but it’s not that I don’t like Lautaro—I love him. But I like Haaland more, I don’t know why. He just seems like more of a player to me. That doesn’t take anything away from Lautaro, who is a great player. He’s grown at Inter and is a world-class player,” Luis Suarez said, via DavooXeneize stream.

Although Lautaro Martinez has established himself as one of the world’s best players, his talent predominantly lies in scoring goals, leaving much to be desired in terms of versatility and assisting. Moreover, his position as a starter in the Argentine national team is no longer undisputed, as the emergence of Julian Alvarez has overshadowed him. Nevertheless, his scoring ability with Inter Milan remains unmatched, keeping him among the top goalscorers.

Luis Suarez’s endorsement of Julian Alvarez as the world’s top striker resonates with fans, reflecting the Uruguayan playstyle in his prime. The young Argentine’s remarkable versatility and creative flair enable him to adapt to any attacking role. This positions him as one of the most well-rounded strikers, next to Harry Kane. Nonetheless, Alvarez’s superior speed adds an extra dimension of danger over the English star, solidifying his status in global soccer.

Luis Suarez revels the young striker that has surprised him the most

Luis Suarez has consistently expressed his admiration for strikers who excel not only as goal scorers but also as versatile team players. Reflecting this preference, the Inter Miami star recently surprised many by revealing the young forward who has impressed him the most, drawing comparisons to a standout player from Arsenal FC.

“There’s one who surprised me. Obviously, he’s light years ahead of the others (mentioned above). I love Joao Pedro, the Chelsea player. I’d only seen him a couple of times at Brighton, but now I’ve really started to like him. I don’t know how old he is… He didn’t catch my attention as much as he does now… The Arsenal player (Viktor Gyokeres) who was at Sporting Lisbon still lacks something. He’s good, but he still has a way to go.” Luis Suarez affirmed, via DavooXeneize stream.

In his short time at Chelsea, Joao Pedro has demonstrated remarkable versatility during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The Brazilian not only scored crucial goals but also set up teammates, showing his all-around impact. Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal FC’s recent star acquisition, has struggled to fulfill expectations, facing fan criticism for not yet showcasing his talent on the field.

The English superstar doesn’t have any reported injury, so Kane’s absence in Bayern‘s starting eleven against Benfica today might have to do with a decision from head coach Vincent Kompany to give his striker much-needed rest.

With the German side already qualified for the round of 16, giving him more workload doesn’t make sense. Still, chances are that Kane comes off the bench at some point later in the game.

Harry Kane’s eventful start to the Club World Cup with Bayern

Kane, 31, started in Bayern’s first two group stage games at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. While Vincent Kompany subbed him off 61 minutes into the debut against Auckland City, with Bayern already winning comfortably, Kane played the full 90 minutes in the hard-fought, 2-1 win over Boca Juniors on Matchday 2.

Even though Bayern put 10 past Auckland City in the group stage opener, Kane somehow failed to find the net. However, the former Tottenham Hotspur captain did score against the Argentine side, helping Bayern seal a round of 16 berth.

Bayern’s lineup against Benfica, without Kane

Bayern’s starting lineup against Benfica features many notable absentees. Apart from Kane, the likes of Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Kingsley Coman, and Michael Olise are also on the bench.