When a Harry Kane with a fresh face took his first steps in senior football in August 2011, success was not an immediate companion.
An 18 -year -old gross striker still trying to make his way in the match, he missed a penalty during his beginnings in Tottenham during a Europa League qualifier against Hearts at White Hart Lane.
Jamie Macdonald saved the kick while visitors asked for a 0-0 draw on the night, although the Spurs prevailed 5-0 on the aggregates.
Having spent the previous season on loan to Leyton Orient, Kane would be cultivated again on loan, this time in Millwall a few months further.
At that time, Tottenham was not convinced. Another couple of loan spells would follow Norwich and Leicester before finally returning and nail a place in the first team. The rest, of course, is in history.
To be a lean teenager who has refreshed his lines against hearts, Kane now has his views fixed on Scottish opposition in European competition.
Harry Kane missed a penalty against Hearts during equality of the Europa League qualifiers in 2011
Kane is dirty by heart guard Jamie Macdonald, who saved the resulting penalty
He is no longer a recruit that tries to make a name for himself. Quite simply, Kane will arrive at Celtic Park this evening as the deadliest attacker on the planet.
The captain of England has been a revelation since his move to Bayern Munich 18 months ago, breaking all kinds of goals.
Last season, he drew 44 goals in 45 games in all competitions. He has scored 28 others in as many games so far this quarter.
Overall, 72 goals in 73 games made him an instant success in Bavaria. For Bayern, Kane is a goal machine. The name Robert Lewandowski is no longer really mentioned in Munich.
Indeed, the only time when the name of Lewandowski tends to appear now is to reference the fact that Kane’s goals eclipse many records established by the former hitman of Bayern and Poland.
For the context, Lewandowski scored 67 goals in 100 games during his first two seasons with Bayern. Kane has already erased this total – and there are still four months from the campaign.
The score record in a single season established by Lewandowski amounts to 55 goals in 47 games, a feat he achieved in the winning season of Bayern in 2019-20 under Hansi Flick.
If Bayern can go deep to the Champions League of this season, as many expect them to do, Kane could still approach this brand.
Erling Haaland’s record has also dropped. Last November, a hat -trick against Augsburg saw Kane become the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the Bundesliga. It was in 43 games compared to the 50 Haaland games for Borussia Dortmund.
Other personal files and milestones have fallen. When Bayern beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 last September, the four goals of Kane saw him become the English top scorer of all time in the Champions League.
England striker Harry Kane is the toast of Bavaria thanks to his goals’ prowess
Harry Kane trains before Wednesday in the Champions League series on Wednesday against Celtic
Rooney scored 30 goals in 85 games in the tournament. Kane had broken the Rooney record having only played 45 games.
He was also the first English player to score four goals in a match in the competition, while Bayern became the first team to score new.
And yet, despite all this, despite the fact that Kane tears records, there is still no trophy to show. Right now, as things are, Kane is perhaps the greatest player in history never to win anything.
During his beginnings from Bayern in the German Super Cup in August 2023, Kane and his teammates lost 3-0 against RB Leipzig.
Bayern having won the 11 consecutive previous Bundesliga titles, Kane would surely put his hand on silverware at the end of the campaign? Not the case.
The invincibles from Bayer Leverkusen produced one of the greatest seasons in the history of German football, without being destroyed when they claimed a double of league and cup.
It seemed that the curse of the Kane Trophy had followed him from northern London in Bavaria. The captain of England had also played in two major finals with his country at Euro 2020 and 2024, but had never managed to overcome the line.
Now, it is surely just a matter of time before Kane finally put his hand on silverware. With Bayern currently eight points from Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga table, it would take a monumental collapse from here.
However, in a superpower like Bayern, it is in Europe where players are finally judged. Kane will know that a triumph of the Champions League is the reference for anyone wishing to reach an emblematic status in Munich.
Speaking last month, he was asked about the need to win trophies and how it would be compared to the many personal distinctions that he has collected over the years.
“I start each season in order to win collective trophies, I am not satisfied to be distinguished only on an individual level,” said the 31 -year -old, who joined Bayern for costs of around 86 million pounds sterling plus additional modules.
“I am only 31 years old. At one point, at this age, it was starting to be the end. Today, the way things are happening, we have almost our peak at 30.
“I think the best is yet to come. I am very confident on this subject and very confident about the fact that the second part of my career, the one that opens now, will be rich in major trophies.
“When I hang up my boots, (don’t win a trophy) will no longer be a problem. I am extremely proud of what I have achieved in my career so far, but I also know that, of course, I want to have trophies to show for that.
“I feel like I am in a real summit of my career and, let’s hope, for the next four or five years, above all, this will be the case. There will therefore be opportunities.
Kane’s quest for the glory of the Champions League now brings him back to Glasgow, a city where he broke the Scottish hearts in a qualification of the World Cup in June 2017.
After Leigh Griffiths amazed England with two magnificent free kicks, it was the equalizer of the last kane who snatched a 2-2 draw in Hampden.
Kane equalizes for England in the Draw of the Qualifying World Cup 2-2 in Hampden in 2017
English striker Harry Kane scored 72 goals in 73 games for Bayern Munich
It was actually his first match as a captain, and Kane reflected a few years ago that the goal remains one of the most memorable he scored throughout his career.
Given the red heated form he has shown in the past 18 months, it would not be surprising that Kane has an important influence in the result of Celtic Park this evening.
Lately, towards the end of his time in Spurs, Kane fell deeply and operated almost more as a n ° 10 rather than an attacker.
With Bayern, he plays much higher in the field as a focal point and a traditional No 9 in the favorite 4-2-3-1 system by Vincent Kompany.
The results are clear for everyone. Kane is the top scorer of the Top Five in the Europe League this season, with Mo Salah.
By browsing more than three goals per game, the total of 65 Bayern goals in 21 Bundesliga games makes them the best scorers of all major leagues in Europe.
No player has contributed more to this than Kane. Machine for born and raised in England, he now wins the heart and mind of all in Munich. The glory of the Champions League would only accelerate his journey to the crown of the new Prince of Bavaria.
