History-making Harry Kane breaks 60-year goal-scoring record

It's a hallmark of modern football that superstars are expected to constantly strive for opportunities in the biggest clubs, chasing lucrative contracts, and amassing a collection of trophies. However, when Bayern Munich and Tottenham reached an unprecedented agreement for a staggering club record fee of 100 million euros ($109 million) to secure the services of Harry Kane, it certainly raised a few eyebrows.  

At 30 years of age, Kane had yet to taste success on the grandest stages, despite his notable appearances in two League Cup finals, a Champions League final, and the Euro 2020 final. Doubts lingered: What if his form dipped as he entered the twilight of his career? What if he failed to provide the answer to Bayern's waning attacking prowess?

Fast forward nearly seven months, and all those reservations have been unequivocally put to rest. The England captain has emphatically proven his worth, justifying every single penny of that eye-watering transfer fee.

On Saturday night, Kane once again demonstrated his sensational goal-scoring abilities, netting his 31st goal of the season for Bayern in a commanding 5-2 triumph over Darmstadt. In achieving this feat, Kane etched his name in the history books by surpassing a 60-year-old record for the most goals in a debut Bundesliga season. The previous record of 30 goals was set by Uwe Seeler for Hamburg back in the 1963-64 campaign. 

Kane's milestone strike arrived after Jamal Musiala had swiftly equalized following Tim Skarke's unexpected opener for the hosts. As the match progressed, Bayern unleashed a dominant second-half performance, finding the back of the net three more times to narrow the gap between them and league leaders Bayer Leverkusen to seven points.

Just four goals shy, Kane is on the verge of matching the impressive tally of 41 goals that he scored for Tottenham in all competitions during the 2017-18 campaign. Excitement mounts as he prepares to return to England for the forthcoming Champions League quarterfinals, where Bayern will go head-to-head against his former rivals, Arsenal. Kane's record against the Gunners speaks for itself, having notched 14 goals in 19 appearances against them.

The only blot on the otherwise splendid night was the sight of Kane appearing to injure his ankle after colliding with the goalpost. Following the incident in the 82nd minute, he was substituted, raising doubts about his availability for England's upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.  

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel admitted uncertainty regarding the seriousness of the injury, explaining, "He slipped and fell into the net, twisting his ankle. He's currently receiving ice treatment, and we're awaiting a proper diagnosis... When Harry is forced to come off, it's always a worrying sign, as he never leaves the pitch unless there are no more goals to be scored."