News Focus
- Harry Kane may start fewer games to stay fresh for the knockout rounds
- Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are ready to lead the attack in his place
- The 32-year-old has played over 4,400 minutes for Bayern Munich this season
- Extreme heat in North America is forcing Thomas Tuchel to rotate his squad
- The expanded 48-team format means eight matches to reach the final
England manager Thomas Tuchel is preparing to rest his captain Harry Kane during the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. The coach wants to keep the striker fresh for the later rounds of the competition.
Kane is now 32 years old and has spent more time on the pitch this season than in previous years. He has played 4,423 minutes for Bayern Munich in Germany. This is almost 500 minutes more than he managed during his final season at Tottenham Hotspur.
The tournament in North America will take place in extreme summer heat. Temperatures could rise above 30 degrees Celsius for afternoon kick-offs. England face a demanding schedule in the expanded competition, which now includes 48 teams and an extra knockout round.
For these reasons, Tuchel plans to use Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney more often than England have used substitute strikers in the past. Watkins recently won the Europa League and believes all three forwards will get chances to score.
The manager learned from Euro 2024, where Kane played with a back injury and looked tired by the final. Tuchel will not risk his main goalscorer in group matches that England might already be winning. Instead, Kane will likely sit on the bench to stay cool and ready for the crucial clashes ahead.