Gary Lineker explains why Harry Kane may consider England retirement – with record-breaking 66-goal striker facing ‘horrible’ dilemma after Euro 2024 failure

The Bayern Munich frontman remains captain of his country for now and their all-time leading scorer on 66 goals through 98 appearances. He claimed a share of another Golden Boot at Euro 2024, as the Three Lions made a second successive final, but looked well short of his best throughout the tournament.

Kane had been carrying a knock from the end of the 2023-24 campaign, but he was replaced in the semi-final and final as questions began to be asked of his contribution to the collective cause. Ex-England forward Lineker knows all about finding yourself in that kind of situation.

Lineker has told The Rest Is Football podcast of why Kane may not have long left in the international arena, as England rebuild on the back of more European Championship pain: “Part of [looking to] the future in my mind was what England do, what does Harry Kane do? He was not himself in this tournament. He's in his 30s now. When I was 30, 31, my legs started to go. I retired from international football at 32. At 31 that was happening [legs going] and it's horrible, it's horrible.”

Ex-Everton and Tottenham striker Lineker added on bowing out after Euro ‘92 with 48 international goals to his name: “I felt [it] in that last season - which is one of the reasons I decided to retire from international football, to finish in English football, to move to Japan. I could feel my legs going. I was poor in that last [major tournament]. I was made a martyr because Graham Taylor brought me off but he had every right to bring me off because I was past my best. It happens to some people at some point. Maybe he was just tired or carrying a little something that affected him and that [his legs going] might not be the case. But I wonder. What is he, coming up to 31 now? That's exactly the time when I started to feel that way.”

Kane will turn 31 on July 28. He claimed the European Golden Shoe with Bayern Munich last season, while hitting 44 goals across all competitions, and has offered no indication that international retirement is on his mind – sounding a “ready to fight again in an England shirt” message after once again failing to break his duck on the trophy front.