Harry Kane's light once shone like a star on England's soccer field, but now the striker, who is about to turn 31, seems to be undergoing a subtle change in his role in the team. With a 12-yard goal against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals, he once again set a new record for the most goals scored in a knockout match at the Europa League, becoming the most prolific player in the history of the tournament. However, Harry Kane's position in the team seems to have wavered, and after being substituted in three consecutive knockout matches, some fans have begun to question whether he has been reduced to "England's Crow", believing that he is a sign of a burden to the team.
Although Harry Kane has been the right choice throughout the six games this year, his sixth knockout stage goal even overtook France's Keshavin (five goals) as the Europa League's leading goalscorer in the knockout stages. However, his form didn't seem to improve as a result, especially in the last two knockout games, where he reached only 55, a significant drop in efficiency. Although Harry Kane frequently dropped back into the midfield, his performances in the penalty area were lackluster, and the Daily Mail even commented that he was England's "second lowest rated player".
In fact, Harry Kane's influence in the team is no longer comparable. In England's three knockout matches, whenever he was substituted, the team seemed to perform better. However, Harry Kane himself is not bothered by this, stating, "It's a fantastic achievement! I'm proud of every player and staff member. We've been preparing for the game, England are a massive team and everyone is fighting to win the title, whether it's for five minutes or one minute, there's a chance to win the cup for England."
