Harry Kane set to hit 50 caps for England with Wayne Rooney's record goals tally on the horizon

Striker has 32 goals in 49 appearances and is on course to become his country's most prolific marksman

1) England 4-0 Lithuania: Harry Kane celebrates after scoring on his England debut during the Euro 2016 qualifier on March 27, 2015. Getty

2) Italy1-1 England: Harry Kane is challenged by Andrea Ranocchia of Italy on March 31, 2015. Getty

3) England 6-0 San Marino: Kane celebrates his goal on September 5, 2015. Getty

4) England 2-0 Switzerland: Kane celebrates scoring the first goal on September 8, 2015. Getty

5) England 2-0 Estonia: Harry Kane holds off the challenge of Aleksandr Dmitrijev on October 9, 2015. Getty

6) Lithuania 0-3 England: Kane evades Vytautas Andriukevicius on October 12, 2015 in Kaunas. Getty

7) Spain 2-0 England: Kane shoots past Gerard Pique on November 13, 2015 in Alicante. Getty

8) England 2-0 France: Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane compete with Bacary Sagna and Yohan Cabaye on November 17, 2015 at Wembley. Getty

9) Germany 2-3 England: Harry Kane of England celebrates the win in Munich on March 26, 2016. Getty

10) England 1-2 Netherlands: Daley Blind tackles Harry Kane on March 29, 2016. Getty

11) England 2-1 Turkey: Harry Kane celebrates with Jamie Vardy of England after he scored the opening goal on May 22, 2016. Getty

12) England 1-0 Portugal: Harry Kane of England in action on June 2, 2016. Getty

13) England 1-1 Russia: Kane takes a shot during the Euro 2016 draw on June 11, 2016 in Marseille. Getty

14) England 2-1 Wales: Kane in action in the Euro 2016 group games on June 16, 2016 in Lens. Getty

15) England 0-0 Slovakia: Kane and Jan Durica of Slovakia compete for the ball during the Euro 2016 group match on June 20, 2016 in Saint-Etienne. Getty

16) England 1-2 Iceland: Gylfi Sigurdsson and Harry Kane in action on June 27, 2016 in Nice as England are knocked out of Euro 2016. Getty

17) Slovakia 0-1 England: Kane is blocked by Tomas Hubocan during the 2018 World Cup qualifier on September 4, 2016 in Trnava. Getty

18) Scotland 2-2 England: Kane scores the equaliser in the World Cup qualifier on June 10, 2017 in Glasgow. Getty

19) France 3-2 England: Kane holds off Raphael Varane on June 13, 2017 in Paris. Getty

20) Malta 0-4 England: Kane scores the first goal past Andrew Hogg during the World Cup qualifier on September 1, 2017 in Valletta. Getty

21) England 2-1 Slovakia: Harry Kane in action during the World Cup qualifier on September 4, 2017 in London. Getty

22) England 1-0 Slovenia: Kane scores the goal during the World Cup qualifier on October 5, 2017 in London. Getty

23) Lithuania 0-1 England: Kane shoots past Edvinas Girdvainis in the World Cup qualifier on October 8, 2017 in Vilnius. Getty

24) England 2-1 Nigeria: Kane in action in the friendly on June 2, 2018 in London. Getty

25) England 2-1 Tunisia: Kane celebrates after scoring the second goal during the World Cup in Russia on June 18, 2018 in Volgograd. Getty

26) England 6-1 Panama: Kane is challenged by Roman Torres during the World Cup group game on June 24, 2018 in Nizhny Novgorod. Getty

27) England 1-1 Colombia: Kane celebrates victory after the World Cup round of 16 match on July 3, 2018 in Moscow. Getty

28) England 2-0 Sweden: An England win in the World Cup quarter-final on July 7, 2018 in Samara. Getty

29) England 1-2 Croatia: Kane and Ivan Rakitic as England lose the semi-final on July 11, 2018 in Moscow. Getty

30) England 0-2 Belgium: Kane in action in the 3rd place play-off on July 14, 2018 in Saint Petersburg. Getty

31) England 1-2 Spain: Kane's shot saved by David de Gea during the Nations League group match on September 8, 2018 in London. Getty

32) England 1-0 Switzerland: Kane battles with Steven Zuber during the international friendly on September 11, 2018 in Leicester. Getty

33) Croatia 0-0 England: Domagoj Vida of Croatia outjumps Harry Kane of England during the Nations League group match on October 12, 2018 in Rijeka. Getty

34) Spain 3-2 England: Rodrigo holds off Harry Kane of England during the Nations League group match on October 15, 2018 in Seville. Getty

35) England 1-2 Croatia: Kane is challenged by Tin Jedvaj during the Nations League group match on November 18, 2018 in London. Getty

36) England 4-0 Czech Republic: Kane scores the second goal during the 2020 European Championships qualifier on March 22, 2019 in London. Getty

37) Montenegro 1-5 England: Kane scores the fourth goal during the European Championships qualifier on March 25, 2019 in Podgorica. Getty

38) England 1-3 Netherlands: Georginio Wijnaldum battles for the ball with Kane during the Nations League semi-final on June 06, 2019 in Guimaraes, Portugal. Getty

39) England 0-0 Switzerland: Nico Elvedi nder pressure from Kane during the Nations League 3rd place play-off on June 09, 2019 in Guimaraes. Getty

40) England 4-0 Bulgaria: Kane controls the ball during the Euro 2020 qualifier on September 07, 2019 in London. Getty

41) England 5-3 Kosovo: Kane scores England's second goal during the Euro 2020 qualifier on September 10, 2019 in Southampton. Getty

42) Czech Republic 2-1 England: Kane celebrates scoring in the Euro 2020 qualifier on October 11, 2019 in Prague. Getty

43) Bulgaria 0-6 England: Kane scores the sixth on October 14, 2019 in Sofia. Getty

44) England 7-0 Montenegro: Kane scores his first goal during the Euro 2020 qualifier on November 14, 2019 in London. Getty

45) Kosovo 0-4 England: Kane celebrates after scoring the second goal during the Euro 2020 qualifier on November 17, 2019 in Pristina. Getty

46) Iceland 0-1 England: Kane is challenged by Kari Arnason during the Nations League group match on September 05, 2020 in Reykjavik. Getty

47) Denmark 0-0 England: Kasper Schmeichel attempts to block Kane during the Nations League group match on September 08, 2020 in Copenhagen. Getty

48) England 2-1 Belgium: Kane reacts after a missed chance during the Nations League group match on October 11, 2020 in London. Getty

49) England 0-1 Denmark: Kane during the Nations League group match on October 14, 2020 in London. Getty

50) Belgium 2-0 England: Kane takes a shot during the Nations League match at the King Power stadium in Leuven on November 15, 2020. AP

Gareth Southgate was citing his highlights of Harry Kane’s first 49 caps for England. The assumption might have been that he would start with the goals that rendered his captain only the second Englishman to win the World Cup’s Golden Boot. He did not.

“I remember being in a hotel and hearing he had scored. We weren’t able to see it but it was a brilliant moment for us all,” he said. Southgate was England Under-21 manager in 2015. Kane had gravitated into Roy Hodgson’s senior squad.

He struck 80 seconds into his debut, as a substitute against Lithuania, and Southgate, whose junior side had beaten Czech Republic 1-0 the same night, took an almost paternalistic pride in one of his protégés’ progress.

There will be a further indication of it on Sunday when Kane becomes the 62nd man to reach a half-century of caps for England.

Kane is climbing another list further and faster. Only six have more goals than him and Kane, who has found the net 27 times in his last 32 internationals, could end up as his country’s most prolific marksman. Wayne Rooney, with 53, leads the way, but Kane is only 21 behind.

“The goalscoring record is the really interesting one,” Southgate said. “His strike rate for us is phenomenal and he has time on his side to crack on and chase Wayne’s record which would be a remarkable feat, when you look at Sir Bobby [Charlton], Gary Lineker and Wayne.

"From his perspective, while the personal achievement is something he is driven towards, it is the team achievement. He is so focused on the team having success.”

Kane has helped inspire some collective feats. He captained the first England team in 28 years to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. He came off the bench last month when, for only the second time, they beat the planet's top-ranked team, but they have never done so away from home.

Now they face a rematch with Belgium, probably requiring a second victory over Roberto Martinez's side to reach the Nations League semi-finals. Last month's defeat to Denmark undid much of that fine work.

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Player ratings for England's win over Belgium

ENGLAND RATINGS: Jordan Pickford - 7: Dealt with most things thrown at him and one thumping pass almost put Marcus Rashford through on goal. Reuters

Kyle Walker - 9: The Manchester City defender was ubiquitous on a night he won his 50th cap and his manager's trust again. AFP

Eric Dier - 6: Giving away unnecessary penalties is becoming the Tottenham defender's forte. Reuters

Harry Maguire - 7: He and Dier both struggled against Lukaku's physicality early on but both improved markedly in the second half. AFP

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6: A subdued performance but provided the only quality ball in open play that led to Mount's winner. Reuters

Declan Rice - 7: Struggled to get the better of the wily Witsel in the first half but dominated the Dortmund man in the second. Reuters

Jordan Henderson - 6: Went down theatrically to win the penalty that levelled the tie. AFP

Kieran Trippier - 7: Looked a square peg in a round hole on the left side of England's defence. Grew into the game though and made some timely interventions. AFP

Mason Mount - 6: A surprise choice ahead of Jack Grealish and did little to justify it before his deflected effort decided the match. Reuters

Marcus Rashford - 6: Another who had a subdued night but banged in a penalty that turned the match in England's favour. AFP

Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 7: Some lovely hold up play with England under the cosh in the first half but precious little to feed on in front of goal. AFP

SUBS: Harry Kane (on for Calvert-Lewin) - 5: Took the sting out of the game drawing fouls off the Belgium defenders but missed an absolute sitter. EPA

Kalvin Phillips (on for Henderson) - 6: The Leeds man does not look out of place on the international stage. EPA

Reece James (on for Alexander-Arnold) - 6: One of four England right-backs to get game time. The Chelsea defender snapped at the heels of Carrasco and Castagne. AFP

Jadon Sancho (on for Mount) - NA: No time to make an impact. AFP

BELGIUM RATINGS: Simon Mignolet - 6: Only playing due a raft of injuries but the Club Bruge man could do nothing about either England goal. AFP

Toby Alderweireld - 7: Hardly troubled and can feel unlucky that Mount's shot looped up off his attempted block for the winner. Reuters

Dedryck Boyata - 7: Solid showing from the Hertha Berlin defender at the heart of Belgium's three-man defence. Reuters

Jason Denayer - 7: Comfortably dealt with most things thrown at him but was caught on his heels as substitute Kane nearly connected with a corner. AFP

Thomas Meunier - 7: Will probably be one of the few players anywhere cursing the absence of VAR after giving away a soft penalty for England's equaliser. Reuters

Youri Tielemans - 6: The 23-year-old will be a linchpin of this Belgium side for years to come but his manager will be concerned how he and midfield partner Witsel wilted once England had the wind in their sails. AFP

Axel Witsel - 6: Looked pure silk until Rice nailed him with a crunching tackle just before half time. Went missing there after. Reuters

Timothy Castagne - 7: Showed why Leicester were prepared to pay big money to bring him to the Premier League. Will be kicking himself for wandering offside that saw Carrasco's early strike ruled out though. AFP

Yannick Carrasco - 8: Belgium's brightest player as they battered England in the first half and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet before being replaced late on. Reuters

Kevin de Bruyne - 8: The pass that picked out Carrasco in the second half was precision personified. It deserved a better finish. Reuters

Romelu Lukaku - 8: The Inter Milan striker was brute force and subtle flicks in the first half before being snuffed out by England's back three in the second. Reuters

SUBS: Yari Verschaeren (on for De Bruyne) - 5: The 19-year old came on to win a sixth Belgium cap saw little of the ball. Reuters

Jeremy Doku (on for Carrasco) - NB: The Rennes teenager earned a second cap. EPA

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“We have got to beat Belgium,” Southgate said. “To go to Belgium and win is a difficult task but it is certainly not impossible. We proved that at Wembley.

"They have lost two games in 28 so they are a fantastic team and have proven it over a long period of time but our aim is to be the best team in the world. We have to hunt these teams down. We were able to do it at Wembley.”

Southgate struck a confident tone, citing England’s efforts at both ends of the pitch. They have only scored four goals in four Nations League matches since switching to 3-4-3 but he took solace in an improved defensive record.

“We are not fearful,” he said. “We have players who can hurt teams, who can score and create goals and we have only conceded two goals in nine games.

"The future is so exciting but we have to make sure we are getting results and progressing right now.”