Harry Kane has long been much more than just a classic center forward at FC Bayern. The 33-year-old not only impresses with his goal-scoring ability but is also increasingly taking on the role of playmaker. His current statistics demonstrate just how exceptional his qualities as a playmaker are.
Strikers are primarily judged by their goals. Hardly anyone knows this better than Kane. With his exceptional scoring rate, the Englishman has made a name for himself in recent years as one of the best forwards in the world. He was awarded the Ballon d’Or just last October.
Ironically, right after his triumph, the Bayern star is experiencing an unusual scoring drought by his standards. In his last three competitive matches against Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid, and Mainz 05, Kane failed to score. For a striker of his caliber, that’s quite remarkable.
Kane shines even without scoring
The fact that Kane remains indispensable to Munich’s offense was most recently evident in the 2-1 away win against Mainz. The Englishman set up both goals and thus played a decisive role in the record champions’ success.
Overall, Kane has seven assists in nine games this Bundesliga season. This makes him one of the league’s top assist providers and sets a remarkable personal best.
His efficiency is particularly impressive. Kane has played 715 minutes so far and averages 1.01 assists per 90 minutes.
The 33-year-old is also impressive when it comes to creating scoring chances. With a total of 22 key passes leading to shots on goal, he tops this statistic among Bundesliga forwards.
The numbers illustrate just how significantly Kane’s role in Bayern’s play has evolved. The Englishman regularly drops back into midfield, participates in building up play, and sets up his teammates with precise passes.
Mbappé and Haaland can’t keep up
A comparison with two other world-class strikers shows just how exceptional Kane’s playmaking qualities are.
Kylian Mbappé has just two assists in twelve league games for Real Madrid. Erling Haaland is still waiting for his first assist after ten Premier League appearances for Manchester City.
Combined, the two superstars have thus racked up just a quarter of the assists that Kane has recorded on his own.
When it comes to goals scored, however, the picture is different. Mbappé already has 13 league goals, while Haaland has nine. Kane has scored four goals himself in the Bundesliga so far.
Nevertheless, the comparison highlights a particular strength of the Bayern striker: While Mbappé and Haaland shine primarily as finishers, Kane combines the qualities of a goal-scorer with those of a playmaker.
For Vincent Kompany, this versatility is of enormous value. Even when Kane doesn’t score himself, he remains a central figure in Munich’s offensive play.
His recent goal drought is therefore no cause for concern. On the contrary: Kane is currently proving in impressive fashion that his influence on Bayern’s play extends far beyond his own goals.