Which strikers will Thomas Tuchel choose to back up Harry Kane at the World Cup?   | OneFootball

Harry Kane has been the jewel in the English crown for some time now. Ever since being made captain almost a decade ago, the Bayern Munich striker has carried his country on his back.

Record goalscorer, a 2018 World Cup golden boot, and back-to-back European Championship finals speak to his importance, and if England are to end 60 years of hurt at the upcoming World Cup, he will be the most important man for the task at hand.  

Online betting sites make England contenders this summer. The latest 2026 FIFA World Cup odds price Thomas Tuchel’s men as an 11/2 second-favorite behind 9/2 frontrunners Spain, the team that famously beat the Three Lions in the most recent of those Euro finals in Berlin two years ago. Kane, meanwhile, is also tipped to be in the goals, the bookies pricing him as a 7/1 shot to win the Golden Boot for a second time, with only French hitman Kylian Mbappe considered more likely at 6/1.  

But one of England manager Tuchel’s biggest headaches heading into the summer’s North American showdown is the form of the rest of his attacking arsenal. While Kane is in blistering form – netting 45 goals in 38 games in all competitions in Bavaria – the rest of England’s striking options most certainly are not. So, who will the German boss select to back up his captain at the biggest sporting event on the planet? Let’s take a look.  

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins was considered the most likely striker not named Harry Kane to be selected in England’s World Cup squad. However, his selection isn’t the foregone conclusion it was two years ago. Heading into Euro 2024, the former Exeter City youngster was in the form of his life, netting a mighty 27 goals in all competitions for the Villains before going on to score the goal that propelled the Three Lions to the final, a stunning last-gasp winner against the Netherlands.  

Fast forward to now, however, and that form has abandoned the 30-year-old striker. Watkins has netted just nine times so far this term and is no longer Aston Villa’s undisputed starting striker. He has netted just once since the start of February, hardly the kind of form that will grab Tuchel’s attention. However, his exploits off the bench at the Euros two years ago may be enough to secure his spot on the plane to North America.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

At the start of the season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was a million miles away from England contention. In fact, he didn’t even have a club until August 15th, when Leeds offered him a Premier League lifeline following his release from Everton. But the former Sheffield United man’s exploits upon returning to Yorkshire certainly caught the eye, and a purple patch of seven goals in six games throughout the festive period catapulted him back into contention.  

Since then, though, DCL has struggled to find the net with any kind of regularity. He has scored just twice since the turn of the year, a downturn in form that has coincided with Leeds’ plight down the Premier League table. He will need to find his shooting boots before the campaign is over if he wishes to not only secure a spot in England’s World Cup squad but also try to keep Leeds in the top flight.  

Tammy Abraham

Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has also been out of the England reckoning since the summer of 2022. However, his return to Aston Villa after stints in Serie A and with Besiktas in Türkiye has seemingly opened the door for a potential Three Lions return. The 28-year-old is competing with Watkins for a starting berth with the Villains, but just one goal since his January arrival at Villa Park is hardly world-beating form. He, too, wouldn’t inspire much confidence behind Captain Kane.  

Ivan Toney

Like Watkins, former Brentford man Ivan Toney was another reliable backup behind Kane at Euro 2024, netting a crucial, nerveless penalty in the shootout victory against Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Since then, however, he has moved to Saudi Arabia, cashing monster cheques as he looks to lead Al Ahli to glory. He already has an Asian Champions League Elite title under his belt, and he is looking to win the Saudi Pro League this season.  

Unlike the rest of the strikers on this list, Toney is currently in form. In fact, he’s on fire. He’s netted 25 goals in as many games in the Saudi top flight this season, the most goals of anybody. More than Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and every other superstar plying their trade in the Arabian Gulf. The one problem is the level of competition those goals have been scored against.  

The Saudi Pro League is plenty of notches down from the quality on display in the Premier League. Are Watkins’ nine goals worth as much as Toney’s 25 when you weigh the difference in quality between the two leagues? That’s something Thomas Tuchel will have to decide for himself.