Can Harry Kane Break Lewandowski's 41-Goal Record in Bundesliga?
Robert Lewandowski’s 41-goal Bundesliga season for Bayern Munich in 2020-21 still looms over Germany like a monument. It broke Gerd Müller’s age-old record by a single strike and reset what was thought possible for a centre-forward in the modern game.
No one has come close since. Not even Harry Kane.
Kane has been prolific in Bavaria – 146 goals in 149 games is an outrageous return by any measure – and his move from Tottenham has already paid off in medals and milestones. The 33-year-old is on the brink of becoming a Bundesliga centurion, just two goals shy of 100 in the league, and he has collected three Golden Boots on the spin since landing in Munich.
The goals have flowed. So has the silverware. The question now is whether he can touch Lewandowski’s single-season record.
Dietmar Hamann, speaking to GOAL on behalf of ToonieBet, doesn’t see it happening.
“That record stood for 40 years or 50 years and everybody said it's not possible to do it,” Hamann said. “But then Lewandowski found another gear and beat Gerd Muller by one.”
Kane, Hamann pointed out, has already had “two, three fantastic seasons” in Germany and still finished “four or five short” of the 41-goal mark. At one stage, the hype was real. Around Christmas last season, when Kane had rattled in “17, 18, 19 goals in the first half of the season”, the conversation started again. Could he really chase down Lewandowski?
Hamann’s answer then hinged on Europe. It still does.
“I said, I think it all depends on the Champions League,” he explained. “Because if they go deep in the Champions League, there will be one, two, three games where he won't play or maybe come on or doesn't even play at all.”
The schedule is Kane’s enemy. To threaten 41, Hamann believes a striker has to be out there virtually every weekend.
“If you want to beat it, you probably have to play at least 30, probably 32, maybe all the games,” he said. “And with the extra games in the Champions League now, he's a year older now.”
The scenario where the record becomes truly realistic? Hamann doesn’t see it materialising.
“If they get knocked out in the group stage, which is not going to happen, I think he probably stands a chance to do it. But they won't because he'll probably go deep in the Champions League again.
“And I think that counts against him when it comes to the record because when you play a league game where you've probably already won the league in between two Champions League semi-finals or quarter-finals, I think the chances are very high that he won't play. They don't risk him and that doesn't help him.
“So is he capable of doing it? Yes, of course he is. I don't think he will do that.”
The record may stay out of reach, but Kane’s dominance in the scoring charts looks set to continue. Bayern are working on a new contract as he enters the final year of his current deal, and all signs point to an extended stay at the Allianz Arena. With that, another Lewandowski benchmark comes into view: five consecutive Golden Boots.
Hamann sees that as a very real possibility.
“Absolutely,” the former Bayern midfielder said when asked if Kane can match that run. “And obviously he's an ambassador. He's great. He's just a very likeable character. And obviously they all appreciate the people, not only the Bayern Munich fans, but they all appreciate having the England captain playing in the Bundesliga.
“And I think he's very settled there. They talk about a new contract. I think his family and his missus are very happy and settled in Munich. So that's good to hear.”
From there, Hamann’s expectations are blunt. A fit Kane starts the season with a built-in tally.
“If he stays fit, then he probably starts with 20 or 25 goals. Every goal he passes is probably a bonus. But I can't see a scenario where he doesn't score 20, 25 goals, which most years wins him that big Golden Boot.
“He’ll win it again if he stays fit.”
Hamann then went to the heart of why Kane keeps racking up numbers at this rate.
“He’s just a remarkable finisher,” he said. “Obviously, we all talk about his penalty-taking skills. But his finishing with both feet is just... I'm not sure there's been a finisher in the history of football who's more clinical when it comes to chances in front of goal.”
Lewandowski’s 41 might stay untouched. But if Kane signs on again and keeps churning out 20- and 30-goal seasons, his own chapter in Bayern’s striking dynasty will look every bit as imposing.
