Jamie Carragher: Harry Kane isn't world class - yet
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Former Liverpool player turned pundit Jamie Carragher has explained why Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane can't yet be considered as world class.
Kane has made a brilliant start to his Premier League career at the North London side after managing to break into the first team in 2013.
The 24-year-old has won the Premier League Golden Boot the past two seasons, helping Spurs to back-to-back top-three finishes.
Despite Kane's superb form, Carragher wrote in his column for the Telegraph that the England international needs to win titles to be seen as a world-class player.
Kane has made a brilliant start to his Premier League career at the North London side after managing to break into the first team in 2013.
The 24-year-old has won the Premier League Golden Boot the past two seasons, helping Spurs to back-to-back top-three finishes.
Despite Kane's superb form, Carragher wrote in his column for the Telegraph that the England international needs to win titles to be seen as a world-class player.
It is often said in football the word 'legend' is applied too loosely. The same must be said of the phrase 'world class'.
Too many players are given this tag, but we should pause before handing out such lavish compliments.
That is why I do not agree with those arguing Harry Kane is a world-class footballer. He isn't. Not yet.
My criteria for world class status are stricter than excelling in the Premier League, no matter how long Kane terrorises defences domestically.
World class players are those who deliver in the post-Christmas stage of the Champions League, shining in the quarter-finals and beyond. World class players are those who deliver at major international tournaments.
By the end of this season Kane might tick both boxes. He has the credentials, but until such time becoming English football's most talented footballer is not enough.
I agree he is one of the finest strikers in the world, but it's not solely about being one of the best of your generation. The stage on which you consistently apply that talent also matters.
If selecting a world XI, would Kane join Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo in the line-up? No. Not at this moment.
