[monks data]

Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage

Sep 7, 2019 at 5pm UK

England
4-0
Bulgaria

Kane (24', 50' pen., 73' pen.), Sterling (55')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Harry Kane becomes England's leading marksman since Gary Lineker

| 09 September 2019

Harry Kane becomes England's leading marksman since Gary Lineker

A look at how long some of England's other players reached the same mark.

Harry Kane’s hat-trick in England’s 4-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win against Bulgaria on Saturday saw the striker take his international tally to 25.

The Tottenham forward is the first player to score more than 23 goals in his opening 40 England appearances since Gary Lineker as he continues towards Wayne Rooney’s record tally of 53.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the statistics behind how long some of England’s other players reached the same mark.

A look at the players who reached 25 England goals in the shortest time (PA Graphic)

Nat Lofthouse

During the early part of the 20th century both Steve Bloomer and Vivian Woodward were the first players to score 25 England goals, doing so after 14 and 21 caps respectively.

In 1955, Bolton forward Nat Lofthouse reached the mark after 23 international appearances, aged 29.

Lofthouse would go on to score 30 goals from 33 caps, officially retiring because of an ankle injury in January 1960.

Greaves was considered a key part of the 1966 World Cup squad. However, a shin injury in the group game against France led to Geoff Hurst coming into the side for the quarter-final against Argentina, and the rest is history.

Former Chelsea, AC Milan, Tottenham and West Ham forward Greaves had scored 25 England goals after 25 caps, aged 23. His final England tally stood at 44 from 57 games.

Gary Lineker

After making his England debut in 1984, Lineker took 31 games to reach 25 international goals, achieving the feat when he was 27 – a year older than Kane is now.

The former Leicester, Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham forward – who won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico – ended his England career with 48 goals from 80 appearances.

Sir Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton (centre) played more than 100 times for England. — Bobby Charlton, centre, played more than 100 times for England (PA Archive)

After winning the 1966 World Cup, Charlton went on to become England’s all-time record scorer with 49 goals from 106 caps.

Manchester United midfielder Charlton had scored his 25th international goal in 1962 after 37 caps, aged 24.

Wayne Rooney

England’s all-time record scorer Rooney set a new tally of 53 international goals, coming from a total of 120 caps, which is also the highest number of appearances for an outfield player.

The former Everton and Manchester United forward passed Charlton’s long-standing mark when he scored in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley.

Rooney had taken 55 caps – 15 more than Kane – to reach his 25 England goals, but was younger than the current England captain, aged only 23.