Harry Kane compared to Toni Kroos & Kevin De Bruyne by Vincent Kompany as Bayern Munich manager explains 'freedom' given to star striker

The 32-year-old frontman has teed up four efforts for grateful team-mates this season, while finding the target on 31 occasions himself across all competitions. Records have continued to tumble around the most prolific of No.9s.

Kane has always prided himself on being a team player, with the former Tottenham striker happy to drop deep and bring others into play. He still spends enough time in the box that allows a sensational strike rate to be maintained.

He is a talismanic presence for club and country, with Bayern and England looking to him for inspiration. Kane rarely disappoints, with his historic tally of goals for the Three Lions being taken to 78 through 112 appearances. At Bayern, the target has been found on 116 occasions across 123 games.

Kompany is delighted to have a modern day legend working under him at the Allianz Arena, with there few flaws that can be spotted in Kane’s game. He is a playmaker as much as goalscorer, with his skill set considered to be comparable with World Cup-winning former Real Madrid midfielder Kroos and Manchester City icon De Bruyne - who is now on the books of Serie A champions Napoli.

Kompany has said: “All of our players have a lot of freedom in their position. Harry is allowed to move freely, in the box and behind it. This isn't just about tactics, but about adapting to the respective game. He sometimes has passes in him like Toni Kroos and Kevin De Bruyne. But in the end, he always has to be in the penalty area.”

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Kane has, during the 2025-26 campaign, become the quickest player to register 100 goal contributions in the Bundesliga. He reached that milestone in just 78 matches - with ex-Bayern winger Arjen Robben now second on that list having required 119 games to hit the same mark.

Kane’s fabled trophy curse was lifted in 2024-25 when becoming a title winner in Germany and is now looking to chase down more major honours at home abroad - having also savoured Super Cup success. Kompany is determined to aid that quest.

He has said of the record books being rewritten: “He won two titles this year for the first time in his career. So I think he has a lot of individual records. He'll keep having a lot of individual records because he's a special player. But I think that now the most important for him is to keep winning titles. We are putting ourselves in good positions and that's important and he plays a big part of course.”

Kane said of his latest achievement: “Extremely proud, obviously. I think it's been entirely of the commitment that I put in every day and the work that I put in, also to the team-mates, to the coaching staff who keep making me better, keep making me improve. And yeah, look, I don't focus too much on these things, but when they happen, I just look forward to bringing on the next one. So let's see how quick we can get the next 100.”

Kane is considered to set the benchmark for central strikers, with former England international Fraizer Campbell having told GOAL of why the most reliable of finishers may be the best of the lot. He said: “He’s right up there with the best of them. [Robert] Lewandowski is probably a similar kind of player to him. He’s just as good, if not better than him.

“It’s credit to him. He’s gone from being on the bench at Leicester in the Championship to being the world’s best No.9. His numbers and goals don’t lie, and you don’t do that by chance - it’s by working hard, dedication and continuing to do what you do best, hitting the back of the net week in, week out. He’s definitely one of the all-time greats, in my opinion.”

Bayern, who remain unbeaten in the league this season and are 11 points clear at the top of the table, will be back in Bundesliga action on Saturday when playing host to RB Leipzig. Kane will hope to be on target there, while also continuing his countdown to the 2026 World Cup finals - with the potential there for GOAT status to be earned with the Three Lions.