Harry Kane celebrating a goal for Bayern Munich during the DFB Cup
When it comes to football’s elite forwards, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe are names that dominate every debate. But according to former Bayern Munich defender Markus Babbel, one man stands above them all — and that’s Harry Kane.
In his column for kicker, Babbel praised Kane’s all-round brilliance, calling him “the most complete striker in the world” and confessing that the Englishman is the one opponent he’d least want to face.
At 32 years old, Kane is arguably playing the best football of his career. Since joining Bayern Munich, he has taken the Bundesliga by storm with a jaw-dropping 22 goals in just 15 matches.
But beyond the stats, it’s his football intelligence that sets him apart. Unlike the typical poacher, Kane’s game is built on vision, awareness, and a near-telepathic ability to link midfield and attack.
He often drops deep — almost like a No. 10 — to create chances for teammates like Luis Diaz and Michael Olise, showing a playmaker’s touch in a striker’s body. And when he leads the line, his movement and positioning make him almost impossible to contain.
Babbel didn’t mince words in his comparison of football’s top trio:
“Which of this trio – Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe – would I not have wanted to defend against as a defender? Clear answer: Kane!”
He continued:
“He’s neither exceptionally fast nor does he have an extraordinary physique, but his game intelligence allows him to evade his opponents. He’s unpredictable. You can’t read him.”
The German legend went further, placing Haaland second for his physical dominance but labeling Mbappe as “less difficult to defend if you have pace and positioning.”
And when asked which of the three he’d want as a teammate, Babbel didn’t hesitate:
“If I could choose one teammate from the three, I’d choose Kane. With his defensive attitude, he’s taken the whole thing to another level.”
There’s no denying that all three forwards are in phenomenal form:
Harry Kane: 22 goals in 15 games, the fastest to reach 100 goals for a club in Europe’s top leagues.
Erling Haaland: 17 goals in 13 games, contributing over 70% of Manchester City’s league goals.
Kylian Mbappe: 18 goals in 14 games, leading the La Liga scoring charts for Real Madrid.
Each player represents a different archetype — Kane the cerebral leader, Haaland the physical destroyer, and Mbappe the explosive finisher. But as Babbel argues, Kane’s complete understanding of the game and leadership presence put him “on another level.”
Harry Kane isn’t the fastest or flashiest — but he might just be the most fearsome. In an era dominated by numbers and highlight reels, Kane is redefining what it means to be world-class: efficiency, intelligence, and influence in every area of the pitch.
And as Babbel rightly points out — if you’re a defender, you’d rather face speed than smarts.
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