Harry Kane has not met expectations in England’s attack. But the 30-year-old striker is not as “harmful” as Ronaldo in the Portuguese national team.

The British media pointed their nose at Kane after the victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals. The Bayern striker became the “most disappointing” person in coach Gareth Southgate’s squad. Many opinions even called for Southgate to remove Kane from the starting lineup in the upcoming semi-final.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara said that Kane is no different from Ronaldo at this year’s EURO. Both are lazy and useless. Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy also expressed a similar opinion, saying that “Southgate is in a dilemma with Kane like Roberto Martinez in not daring to remove Ronaldo from the Portuguese squad.”

It is not difficult to understand that Kane is equated with Ronaldo at EURO 2024. Both came to Germany as the world’s top goalscorers, shouldering the responsibility of scoring goals and leading the attack of England and Portugal. But their performances have not met expectations, especially Ronaldo did not have a single goal at this year’s EURO.

But compared to Ronaldo, Kane still does much better at scoring goals. The Bayern striker scored 2 goals in matches against Denmark in the group stage and Slovakia in the 1/8 round. The header that sealed the 2-1 victory over Slovakia was a star moment that meant salvation for the whole team. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is the player with the most shots in the tournament (23 times) without scoring a single goal.

The biggest difference between Kane and Ronaldo is their ability to contribute to the overall play. Ronaldo as usual was the destination for every last pass from Portugal. At the age of 39, this striker does not have to move much, mainly waiting for the opportunity to score. In other words, Portugal’s playing style is still oriented towards serving Ronaldo while this veteran has “dulled” a lot.

In England, Kane plays the role of a target striker to attract opposing defenders. Finishing is not the only important task of this striker. In a team with many quality spearheads like Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Kane accepts having to make sacrifices to open up space for surrounding satellites.

Of course, Kane at EURO this year is not the best version. Physical strength and acumen in the final handling phase are problems for the 30-year-old striker. In the match against Switzerland, Kane did not even have a single shot on goal. However, Southgate also needs Kane in other roles.

Also in the match against Switzerland, Kane won the ball in the middle of the field and threw an accurate long pass to Saka on the right wing. Unfortunately, Saka did not make a difference from his teammate’s great opening pass. Kane’s ability to contribute to building play is undeniable. The England captain even tackled the ball more than key midfielder John Stones (3 compared to 2) at this year’s EURO.

Most importantly, Kane does not have an ego that stands above the team. Southgate appreciates the England captain the most for his exemplary performance and dedicated spirit. Even when Kane is not at his best, Southgate always believes that his student has done everything he can. A solid captain, not a crybaby and still able to punish any defense if they let loose.

After all, Kane is not a burden to the team like Ronaldo is to the Portuguese team. At age 39, Ronaldo is still trying to hold on to some of his lost strength. Kane still holds his head high and faces difficulties as the leader of the England team.