Harry Kane is known at FC Bayern primarily for his exceptional goal-scoring ability. Under Vincent Kompany, however, the Englishman interprets his role in a much more versatile way than a classic center forward. Time and again, he drops deep, gets involved in building up play, and sets up his teammates with precise long passes.
Just how far Kane sometimes takes this approach was evident in the 5-1 Bundesliga opener against VfB Stuttgart. At times, the 33-year-old retrieved the ball deep in his own half and even acted as the last outfield player in front of Manuel Neuer.
In an in-depth article for The Athletic titled “Harry Kane: My Game in My Words,” the Bayern star has now explained why he so often moves away from the center of the attack on the field—and where his remarkable ability with long passes comes from.
Kane compares himself to an NFL quarterback
Above all, Kane’s diagonal passes have become his trademark. The Bayern pro even sees parallels with another sport.
“It’s similar to the passes a quarterback makes. I’m a big NFL fan, and you see how they throw their passes just over the defenders’ heads,” Kane explained.
His exceptional passing technique didn’t just develop in Munich, by the way. Even as a youth player at Tottenham, Kane worked intensively on it.
“Back when I was still in the youth academy, I used to work on it almost as much as I did on my finishing. I remember that back then, I’d arrive at practice an hour early with one of my teammates. He’d stand on one side of the penalty area, I’d stand on the other, and we’d just practice passing—with both feet.”
Kane also benefits today from the fact that he was by no means used exclusively as a forward during his youth.
“I think passing has always been one of my strengths. I also played a lot as a midfielder in the youth teams, so I’m familiar with the different areas of the field and enjoy playing there.”
Kane wants to draw opponents out of their positions
His dropping back is also a tactical move. If a center back follows him deep into midfield, it creates space behind the opposing defense that other Bayern players can exploit.
“If you’re a center back marking me and I drop back to the midfield line, you might feel comfortable following me that far,” Kane explained.
Even in the final third, the striker doesn’t always behave the way one would expect from a classic number nine. When crosses come in, he isn’t necessarily drawn toward the goal right away. Instead, Kane often waits at the edge of the penalty area for the second ball or a back pass.
“I like to wait and see. I want to see how the game unfolds. So I stay in a certain position, ready to act. I form a mental picture of what’s going on around me. I pay attention to whether there’s another midfielder or defender on my blind side,” the Englishman explained.
It is precisely this versatility that makes Kane so valuable to FC Bayern. The 33-year-old is not only Munich’s top scorer but also takes on the role of a playmaker.
The fact that Kane himself pops up deep in his own half is by no means a coincidence. It’s part of a playing style that the Bayern star developed back in his youth—and which he has since nearly perfected in Munich.