England’s Thomas Tuchel talks the pain of missing Harry Kane

London—England head coach Thomas Tuchel did not hide his frustration when asked how the national side cope without Harry Kane, bluntly equating the striker’s influence to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for their respective countries.

“Well, why would Argentina not rely on Messi or Portugal not rely on Cristiano Ronaldo? This is totally normal,” Tuchel said, relaying comments captured by @iMiaSanMia. “In the absence of Harry Kane, we don’t have the same threat. Bayern Munich in the absence of Harry Kane do not have the same threat. No team in the world has the same threat.”

The remarks came on the back of tepid England performances—a 1-1 draw with Uruguay and a 1-0 defeat to Japan—that underlined how Kane’s presence stretches opposing defences and opens space for team-mates. Tuchel, already irritated by those results, bristled at suggestions England should simply adapt, stressing that replacing a finisher of Kane’s calibre is an unrealistic expectation for any squad.

Kane’s importance is equally recognised at club level, where Bayern Munich now face the prospect of being without their star striker for a pivotal Champions League encounter against Real Madrid. The Bundesliga side, like England, have few ready-made alternatives who combine Kane’s scoring record, link-up play and leadership.

Tuchel’s comparison to two of the sport’s all-time greats highlights the unique void created when Kane is unavailable: a drop-off not just in goals but in overall attacking cohesion. With Bayern’s season hanging in the balance and England preparing for upcoming internationals, the hope around both camps is that the 30-year-old front-man returns sooner rather than later.