I think the World Cup point is spot on. In a World Cup year, club output gets you to the shortlist and the tournament can decide the winner unless someone has had a truly untouchable season.
His hybrid role is part of why comparisons are tricky. Kane is scoring like a specialist finisher while still dropping into zones many classic strikers would not occupy.
This stat opens four debates at once:
- Kane's legacy
- Lewy 2020
- Messi and Ronaldo's absurd standards
- whether awards care more about team trophies than individual level