Harry Kane is expected to become England’s most-capped men’s international when the national team face Croatia at Wembley, with the Bayern Munich striker set to make his 126th appearance.
The 33-year-old will move ahead of former goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who previously held the record. The milestone is expected to take place in front of a sold-out Wembley crowd, giving supporters an opportunity to celebrate Kane’s recent Ballon d’Or triumph.
Kane has scored 91 goals for England and will have another opportunity to move closer to the 100-goal mark during the historic appearance. He has frequently found the net on significant occasions throughout his international career.
Ben White Returns to the National Team
Arsenal defender Ben White is back in the England squad for the first time since March, when his return to the team was met with boos from some supporters.
The reaction followed his controversial departure from England’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. Manager Thomas Tuchel has called on fans to move beyond the incident, while White suggested this week that public opinion might be different if supporters knew the full circumstances surrounding what happened.
White could feature at right-back, where he is competing with Trent Alexander-Arnold for a place in the starting line-up.
Tuchel Faces Defensive Selection Problems
England will be without their preferred centre-back pairing of Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa, with both players ruled out of the Croatia fixture through injury.
Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has returned to the squad for the first time since the summer’s World Cup, while Bournemouth’s James Hill has received his first senior international call-up.
Jarrad Branthwaite is also available as an option in central defence. Jarell Quansah could be considered for another start after appearing at centre-back in England’s previous match.
Bellingham Brothers Could Share the Pitch
Jude and Jobe Bellingham have the opportunity to become the first brothers to play together for England since Gary and Phil Neville featured alongside each other in 2007.
Jude is already an established member of the senior national team, while his younger brother Jobe has earned his first senior call-up following performances for England’s Under-21 side and Borussia Dortmund.
Jobe is not expected to displace Declan Rice or Elliot Anderson in the starting line-up. However, an appearance as a substitute could allow the brothers to play together in an England shirt for the first time.
If both feature, they would become the 22nd set of brothers to represent England’s senior national team.
England Target Nations League Semi-Final Qualification
England are close to securing a place in the Nations League semi-finals and can confirm their progress with a positive result against Croatia at Wembley.
A victory or draw would guarantee England at least second place in their group. A win would also leave them competing with Spain for top spot when the teams meet on Sunday.
Even a defeat against Croatia would not automatically end England’s qualification hopes. They have a substantial goal difference advantage following their 7-0 victory over Croatia in Rijeka last month.
The Wembley fixture therefore carries significance both for England’s Nations League campaign and for the individual milestones involving Kane, White and the Bellingham brothers.
