Let’s be honest: nobody expected Harry Kane to become the goalscoring machine he is today.
The striker’s incredible productivity in front of goal has provoked semi-realistic hopes of winning the Ballon d’Or at some point in his career.
But how close is Kane to the two players — Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — who have dominated the award given to the world’s best player over the last few years?
The Guardian have published an interesting article, written by David Hytner, that reveals all the relevant stats. It reads:
The Big Two have redefined the concept of productivity. What they have done and are doing is, quite simply, freakish. Messi, for example, has scored 96 goals in 116 Champions League games; Ronaldo 107 in 141. And what about their records in La Liga? Since Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, he has scored 285 goals in 267 matches. In the corresponding period, Messi has 304 goals in 279 games for Barcelona.
So Kane has some way to go if he is to catch up with Messi and Ronaldo in the Champions League. Although, the 24-year-old has scored four goals in four Champions League appearances, which — to borrow a phrase from Tim Sherwood — is a better ratio than the “Big Two”. Hytner continues:
Since Kane broke through at Tottenham in 2014-15, he has scored 79 league goals in 108 matches, picking up two Golden Boot awards in the process. Across those same three league seasons, Messi has 115 in 111; Ronaldo 108 in 102. Kane has a better shots-to-goals ratio than Ronaldo during the period and it is only slightly inferior to that of Messi.
Narrow the parameters to the calendar year of 2017 and Kane looks even better. The 24-year-old has 25 league goals in 23 games to Messi’s 34 in 27 and Ronaldo’s 15 in 20. Kane has a better shots-to-goals ratio than both of them. As an aside, when Ronaldo was a United player, from the age of 18 to 24, he scored 84 league goals in 196 matches. Kane’s career record in the Premier League shows 82 from 119.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Let’s just hope the people in charge at Real Madrid don’t read the Guardian…
