Kane was left to play for the majority of England’s third group game against Panama and was only substituted with six minutes of the match remaining.
By Kehinde Okeowo
British pundit and former England striker Wayne Rooney has pleaded with England boss Thomas Tuchel to rest Harry Kane “when possible” to prevent burnout in the later stages of the World Cup.
The Manchester United legend made the plea while analysing the Three Lions’ match against Panama on BBC One.
England secured first place in Group L with a 2-0 win over the Central American nation at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Saturday night.
A goal from Jude Bellingham in the 62nd minute and a header from Kane in the 67th minute sealed the crucial victory.
The strike from the Bayern Munich forward made him England’s all-time leading goalscorer at the World Cup with a total of 11 goals, surpassing Gary Lineker.
The 32-year-old was, however, left to play for the majority of the game and was only substituted with six minutes remaining.
Reacting to the decision, Rooney argued that he should have been taken off immediately after scoring.
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He went on to stress that resting Kane, who has been a consistent presence in the England squad for nearly a decade, would ease concerns of potential fatigue later in the tournament.
Speaking on the programme, he said: “In past tournaments, Harry Kane has appeared somewhat fatigued towards the end.
“He was substituted in the 84th minute, right after he scored, and with England leading 2-0, the match was effectively over, so he should have been taken off.
“Even with 20 minutes left, that is when fatigue sets in, and it can take a toll on you.
“We are in danger now of entering a World Cup where players like Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappé, Harry Kane, and Vini Jr are all vying for the Golden Boot.
“We witnessed Southgate’s reluctance to substitute Kane; I hope Tuchel takes note and allows him to rest when the opportunity arises.”
Following their victory over Panama, England are set to face DR Congo on Wednesday in Atlanta in the World Cup Round of 32.
