Declan Rice backs 'insane' Harry Kane to score 100 goals for England | OneFootball

Three Lions skipper scored his 70th international goal last time out

Declan Rice has backed “insane” team-mate Harry Kane to become the first Englishman to score 100 international goals.

The Three Lions captain came under heavy criticism for his quiet performances during last summer’s European Championship, but Tuchel has made clear he still sees the 31-year-old as his spearhead, having signed him for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

Kane is already England’s most prolific goalscorer of all time, having surpassed Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 two years ago and Rice believes he is far from finished.

“He’s insane,” Rice said. “I’ve seen him train for so long and play so many games for England. The amount of times he’s bailed us out with a goal, or scored a hat-trick, or scored a brace.

“He’s scored 70 for England. He’s an unbelievable guy, a great captain and I’m sure he’s looking at the hundred-mark for England. I think he can get that, for sure.”

Myles Lewis-Skelly and Declan Rice

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At the other end of the spectrum, the first goal of the Tuchel era was scored by Rice’s Arsenal team-mate Myles Lewis-Skelly, who became the youngest player to find the net on England debut.

The 18-year-old’s performance was one of the biggest positives from the Albania victory and his emergence has the potential to solve a long-standing problem position for England at left-back.

Rice, however, has warned the teenager that competition for that spot remains strong and urged against piling too much expectation on Lewis-Skelly following his surprise breakthrough this season.

“We have so many good left-backs in the country,” Rice said. “We can’t not mention Lewis Hall, who’s been unbelievable for Newcastle this year. [Luke] Shaw has been injured but he’s been unbelievable in an England shirt. No one is guaranteed a starting place in the England team. You need to be on it every time you come here.

“Myles is only 18. We can’t put that emphasis on him straightaway that he’s going to be England’s starter for the next ten years. You don’t want to put that pressure on him.

“Just left him keep playing, keep enjoying his football. If he stays hungry and keeps being the best he can be, he can have a long England career for sure.”