Coach Tuchel uses Messi and Ronaldo as examples for England's best striker

Thomas Tuchel likened Harry Kane's role in the England squad to the impact of Lionel Messi in Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal.

England fans could not hide their disappointment after the March international matches at Wembley. Facing criticism, coach Thomas Tuchel defended the team's performance and compared the role of Harry Kane, England's greatest scorer (78 goals), to the influence of Lionel Messi for Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal, emphasizing the significant gap left by the captain.

“When asked why Argentina still relies on Messi or Portugal depends on Cristiano Ronaldo, it is completely normal. Without Harry Kane, we no longer generate the same threat as before”, Tuchel shared with ITV when discussing the team being considered overly dependent on this striker.

England disappointed by drawing 1-1 against Uruguay and surprisingly losing 0-1 to Japan. "The Three Lions" clearly lacked sharpness in attack and had no focal point in the forward line, with the only goal in two matches coming from defender Ben White following a corner situation.

Although Tuchel's assessment about dependence on a star has basis, both Argentina and Portugal have shown they can achieve positive results even without their iconic figures. Portugal demonstrated this during the March FIFA Days by defeating the USA 2-0, though they were later held to a draw by Mexico.

Argentina even demonstrated this in more crucial matches. Under Lionel Scaloni's guidance, they secured a 1-0 victory over Uruguay without Messi, and notably crushed Brazil 4-1 in March 2025 during World Cup qualifiers, showcasing the squad depth of the reigning world champions.

Kane's absence becomes even more notable considering his impressive scoring form this season. After 40 matches across all competitions for Bayern Munich, the striker born in 1993 has scored 48 goals, becoming the top scorer for the club and in the Bundesliga.

Kane's influence on any team is immense, and when he is absent, that deficiency is clearly evident. “Even Bayern Munich without Harry Kane is not as dangerous as before. No team in the world can maintain the same level of threat when missing such a player”, Tuchel concluded.