Harry Kane on a different level in 2024 to end as one of Europe's elite strikers

The striker helped Bayern Munich reach the Champions League semi-finals in May and the top of the Bundesliga this season.

Kane also demonstrated his quality on the international stage with England as they battled their way to the final of Euro 2024.

Although he may arguably be heading towards the end of his peak years, it's clear the 31-year-old is still one of Europe's finest stars.

The numbers - 42 goals in all competitions, including for England - do well to back this up as Kane bids farewell to his latest 12 months of football achievements and looks towards the next.

Bundesliga brilliance

Bayern may have lost out on the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 but Kane still put in the hard graft up front.

READ MORE ON HARRY KANE

Salah overtakes Kane, Shearer and Henry to set incredible new Premier League record

Harry Kane sees personal wealth climb again as new net worth revealed

He netted 29 goals in 30 appearances in the German top flight during the year, with another eight assists also coming his way.

Kane averaged a goal or assist every 69.6 minutes in the Bundesliga and his total tally of 37 sees him lead the charts in the entire league.

Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush is closest behind him on 28, with RB Leipzig star Lois Openda third with 26.

Assists aside, Kane's total amount of goals has seen him dominate the scoring standings across Europe's top five leagues.

Most read in Football

'I know for a fact' - Why Man United and INEOS refused to hire Ruben Amorim in the summer

West Ham suffer serious Bowen blow to leave Lopetegui fighting for future without star man

Antonio out of hospital and back home after horror car crash that left him with broken leg

Wayne Rooney sacking leaves Plymouth fans in painfully awkward situation on January 1

Robert Lewandowski follows him with 27 goals for Barcelona, though the Poland international hit this tally in seven more matches.

Erling Haaland scored the same amount for Manchester City, with 12th-place Openda the next Bundesliga player in the list after Kane.

Up for the cups

It's not just the Bundesliga in which Kane has excelled in 2024 as the former Tottenham man had strong outings in cup competitions.

Across 11 Champions League appearances throughout the year, he has scored nine goals for Bayern and assisted another two.

Four of his strikes were netted in the record 9-2 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb at the beginning of this season.

Kane has also tallied one goal and one assist throughout two DFB-Pokal matches in the current campaign.

England's leading Lion

Given his status as captain, it comes as no surprise that Kane was a regular feature in the England squad yet again.

He missed just three of their 17 fixtures in 2024, with seven of his Three Lions appearances coming at Euro 2024 in Germany.

Kane scored three goals and was the joint-top scorer with Georges Mikautadze, Jamal Musiala, Cody Gakpo, Ivan Schranz and Dani Olmo.

The striker also finished first in England's scoring charts with seven goals across Euro 2024, the Nations League and friendlies.

Two of them came in their 2-0 win over Finland in September as Kane earned his 100th cap for the national team.

He became the tenth England player in history to do so, joining legends such as Peter Shilton, Sir Bobby Charlton and Wayne Rooney.

Will 2025 end the wait for a trophy?

Amid all of Kane's scoring accomplishments for club and country there is still a glaring omission in his career - a trophy.

He has reached six finals for Spurs, Bayern and England collectively but never been able to get his hands on silverware at full-time.

Didi Hamann questions whether Harry Kane will be Englands 2026 World Cup striker

The 2-1 Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain was his latest shortcoming after Bayern's first trophyless season since the 2011/12 campaign.

However, 2025 presents Kane with the opportunity to finally lift a trophy, with the Bundesliga arguably set to be his best chance.

Bayern are top and four points ahead of the reigning champions Leverkusen heading into the New Year.

European football journalist Kevin Hatchard told talkSPORT that they're far from perfect, but the title could come their way this season.

"Some of Bayern's numbers are frightening in terms of the goals they've scored, in terms of goal difference," he told the Breakfast show.

"I mean, their goal difference is something ridiculous like 34, so they've been playing great football.

"My only concern about them, and they did have a Leipzig just before the winter break, so that's allayed some of those concerns, against the big hitters they've come up short.

"Drew away at Frankfurt, drew away at [Borussia] Dortmund, lost at home to Leverkusen in the cup [DFB-Pokal], drew at home to Leverkusen in the league, still got to go to Leverkusen in February.

"And you look at the Champions League, lost at Villa park [against Aston Villa], lost to Barcelona, so it's still early days in the [Vincent] Kompany reign, no doubt about that.

"He's just got to find a way of making them a bit less vulnerable in the big games, but I get the sense that something quite special [is] coming at Bayern with a bit more time, it's very early."

Read More on talkSPORT

Darts fans screaming at TV as Callan Rydz survives 'wasp attack' to reach quarter-finals

Mayweather tried to place money-spinning bet on himself hours before $600m McGregor fight

Bayern have another two games left in the Champions League league phase to reach the last 16 of the competition.

They will also feature in the revamped FIFA Club World Cup in the summer, with Kane therefore having three chances to win silverware.