No John Terry or Roy Keane: What type of captain is Harry Kane? Former England star discusses leadership & ‘bizarre’ 2026 World Cup decision from Thomas Tuchel

There are no rules when it comes to filling skipper duties, with each individual taking a different approach. Some will be more vocal - as they get their message across in the dressing room and on the field - while others seek to drag colleagues along with them by setting an example when it comes to expected levels of commitment and performance.

Kane falls into the latter of those two camps, with the former Tottenham frontman not the type to shout and scream - even in moments of adversity. He trusts team-mates to play their part for the collective cause, leaving him to focus on the artform that he has truly mastered - scoring goals at a remarkable rate.

On the back of a career-best campaign at club level, with the target being found on 61 occasions for Bundesliga title winners Bayern Munich, Kane has taken his historic tally of goals for England to 81 and is fast closing in on Peter Shilton’s all-time appearance record of 125 caps.

Shilton once skippered the Three Lions at the 1990 World Cup, with Kane filling that role in 2026. Is he best placed for that, as a forward? Pallister, speaking in association with Spreadex Sports, told GOAL when asked if he would always favour handing the armband to a someone occupying a position that allows them to have the game in front of them: “I think if they don't feel like there's anybody else, then they'll go to maybe a centre-forward or a keeper.

“Preferably, I think you'd like a midfielder who can see the whole game and can be in contact with both ends of the pitch - that would be ideal. Even a centre-half who's seen the whole game from where he is.

“We had Alan Shearer as captain for the Euros. I played with Eric Cantona at Man United as a captain. Peter Schmeichel did it for a couple of games, a few games. It all depends on the personalities I think.

“ I don't see Harry Kane as being the type of captain that John Terry, Bryan Robson, Roy Keane was. But you can lead by example and I think that's what Harry does. But when you look for a captain on the pitch, I think you'd rather be somebody who's in the centre of it all, like the Robsons and the Keanes and the Vieiras were.”

While Kane continues to deliver in the final third of the field, England have been accused of lacking leadership - or an organisational voice - at the back. They would have been better stocked in that department if Manchester United centre-half Harry Maguire was handed a seat on the plane to North America.

Reflecting on the decision to snub a man that has always delivered for his country at major tournaments, former Red Devils defender Pallister said: “I'm in the camp of I can't believe he didn't take Harry.

“I watched a lot of his games last year and he was back to his best. Full respect to him for turning it round from a couple of years back. He's got tournament experience, never let England down.

“I just think for me it was bizarre that he didn't take him. I would be playing him alongside [Marc] Guehi at the moment. I like John Stones as a centre-half. He's proven at Man City, but he's only played one full 90 minutes before he got picked in the squad.

“I think if we've learned anything from tournament football over the years, it's players that haven't been in form or haven't had enough games or have gone to the World Cups injured, that hasn't really worked.

“So I was a little bit surprised with Thomas Tuchel and that decision because he was certainly in great form for United. When you've got a player like that who's used to tournament football and played well in tournament football, I couldn't see the reason for not taking him at all.”

England, amid the defensive questions that continue to be asked of them, have made a mixed start to their 2026 World Cup campaign. An impressive second-half performance against Croatia - in a game that saw captain Kane bag a brace - delivered an opening 4-2 win.

More struggles against a low block were endured when playing out a forgettable goalless draw with Ghana, meaning that a positive result is required when facing Panama on Saturday in order to top Group L and surge into the last-32 - keeping dreams of ending 60 years of trophy-chasing hurt alive.