By Martin Graham
The latest from Thomas Tuchel England The national team has highlighted a growing problem: the lack of English centre-forwards. Harry Kane he remains the only specialist striker in the 25-man squad, a worrying sign heading into next summer’s World Cup.
The situation is partly influenced by setbacks in physical condition. Ollie Watkins has been given time to recover from a recurring problem, Dominic Solanke not available since August, i Liam Delap just returned from injury at chelsea.
Tuchel still has options who can fit the role. Marcus Rashford, Jarrod Bowen, Phil Footi Anthony Gordon they are able to lead the line, but none is the new natural number. The continued reliance on Kane, 32, as England’s focal point is a stark reminder of how limited the alternatives are.
Kane continues to deliver for Bayern Munich in Germany, but the Premier League currently boasts just eight English strikers, with 22-year-old Delap the only one under 26. Below him, there are few names pushing the squad, with England’s under-21 squad containing just one established striker: Divine Mubamawho has not yet scored in the top flight.
Systems, selections and reduction numbers
The shortage of English goalscorers has been increasing for several years. Even those that remain active, like Danny Welbeck i Callum Wilsonthey are well into their 30s and only the pair have managed more than one goal in La Liga this season.
Ivan Tonywho now plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, has been England’s most effective striker abroad with 11 goals in 15 games. Despite being called up earlier this year, he has barely featured under Tuchel since then.
Statistics show that the trend has deep roots. Last season, only three English strikers – Watkins, Delap and Welbeck – reached double figures in the Premier League. In contrast, during the league’s debut campaign in 1992–93, twenty England strikers achieved this milestone.
The numbers continue to decrease. In the 2020-21 season, England’s forwards scored 142 league goals between them; Last season the total dropped to 67. While Kane’s move to Bayern removed a reliable source of goals, his absence alone cannot explain the extent of the decline. This season’s projection of just 38 goals from English forwards represents an all-time low.
Sutton and Shearer on shifting priorities
Former Blackburn and Norwich striker Chris Sutton, who regularly hit double figures, believes fewer appearances and modern tactics share the blame.
It points to the past when England strikers like Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Robbie Fowler, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Teddy Sheringham and others were not only plentiful but also ever-present in the club’s line-ups. Today, competition from foreign signings and tactical preferences has squeezed them out.
Sutton notes that while teams often used two forwards, many now deploy a single forward supported by wide forwards or false nines. Ironically, clubs such as Manchester City and Arsenal have revived the classic forward role, but those who fill it tend to be from abroad.
Alan Shearer, his former strike partner at Blackburn, blames a change in youth coaching. He believes young players are trained to prioritize passing and build-up play over leading the attack. As a result, fewer aspire to be center forwards.
Change of habits, lost roles
Sutton agrees that the modern obsession with creativity and technical talent has replaced the instincts of the old poacher. Wingers like Rashford and Bukayo Saka they score more goals than their predecessors, but do so from wider positions. The art of leading the line has become increasingly rare.
Michael Owen, another Golden Boot winner from the late 1990s, says he would probably be used as a big striker if he arrived today. He doubts he would be trusted to play as a lone striker given the physical demands of modern systems.
For Owen, the loss of traditional forward associations is particularly sad. He wonders if the days of playing with two strikers, once central to English football, will ever return.
What happens after Kane?
Sutton admits that comparing today’s forward group with that of the 1990s highlights just how much things have changed. Back then, quality and quantity went hand in hand. Les Ferdinand and Robbie Fowler were world-class finishers but still struggled to get regular opportunities in England behind Shearer.
Now, with the depth of talent gone, even an average English striker could find himself in contention for a World Cup spot. Sutton jokes that given the shortage, he might consider putting his boots back on.
England still have one of the best strikers in the world in Kane, but beyond him the production line looks almost empty, leaving a critical question ahead of 2026: who comes next?
