Harry Kane Caps Ballon d'Or Glory With Stunning New England Record

England manager Thomas Tuchel announced that Harry Kane will lead the line in Thursday's fixture against Croatia at Wembley Stadium, with the skipper set to become the Three Lions' all-time caps leader.

It's been a remarkable stretch of weeks for Kane—setting aside that missed spot-kick against Borussia Dortmund. The forward edged out Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to claim the 2026 Ballon d'Or, signed a new deal with Bayern Munich, and is now on the verge of adding yet another historic England record to his résumé.

Kane, who made his senior international debut back in March 2015, will earn his 126th England cap, surpassing the iconic Peter Shilton to stand alone as his nation's most-capped player.

"He will start as a captain, and it is a big occasion to present the Ballon d'Or trophy to our fans and bring it to the country, and have it embedded in the same day where he gets his all-time record for 126 matches, it's just a beautiful, beautiful occasion," Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

"On top of it, it's a match that matters, so it's not a friendly. It's a Nations League match, and it's a match that matters a lot to us. It is on Harry to digest it as quickly as possible. There will be a lot of praise, a lot emotions before the kick off, and then we need him in best shape to win the match for us."

England's Record Appearance Holders

*Kane will break the record on Thursday against Croatia with his 126th cap.

Over the past decade, Kane has overtaken some of the most celebrated players in England's history. In hindsight, it felt almost poetic and inevitable that he stepped in for the legendary Wayne Rooney upon his debut against Lithuania 11 years ago.

Not only has Kane surpassed the Manchester United icon in total appearances, but he also overtook the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and David Beckham along the way. The only name left ahead of him was Shilton, who will be displaced from the top spot come Thursday.

The former shot-stopper made his England debut against East Germany in November 1970 and went on to represent his country for two decades. He appeared in five major tournaments, including the 1982, 1986, and 1990 World Cups, before retiring after the last of those.

Shilton's record endured for more than 30 years, but Kane is now set to claim it as his own.

Kane: 'One of the Biggest Milestones of My Career'

The ever-modest Kane tends to shy away from discussing his personal achievements; the 33-year-old was notably reserved in the lead-up to the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony while Mbappé and Yamal embarked on media tours, publicly campaigning for the award.

On Wednesday, however, Kane couldn't conceal just how significant his looming record truly is after such an extensive international career. "Any great player wants to be able to perform year on year," he said at his pre-match press conference. 

"To reach the number of caps that I have is a testament to all the stuff behind the scenes; all the dedication, all the time that maybe people don't see that keeps me fit and healthy. For sure, I think that will be one of the biggest milestones in my career."

Another landmark could also be within reach for Kane. The Bayern Munich striker currently has 91 goals for his country and has his sights set on reaching the century mark.

"I don't like to put limits on anything," Kane said. "We spoke in the last camp about the 100 goals for England. I think that's another incredible milestone to try and reach as soon as possible. I'm feeling really, really good. So hopefully there's many more years to see what else I can achieve."

Beyond personal milestones, Kane will also be hoping to guide the England men's national team to its first major trophy since 1966 before he calls time on his career. The Three Lions finished as runners-up at both the 2020 and 2024 European Championships, and claimed third place at the 2026 World Cup.