Shilton's England Caps Record Took 19 Years. Kane Can Break It in Under 12 Against Croatia

Peter Shilton needed 19 years to collect 125 England caps. Harry Kane has matched him in a little over 11, and if he steps onto the Wembley field against Croatia on Thursday, Nov. 12, the Bayern Munich striker will own England's men's appearance record outright with his 126th cap.

Shilton has held the mark since his final England game, the third-place playoff at the 1990 World Cup. According to ESPN, the goalkeeper's international career spanned 19 years, included 20 games at major tournaments and produced 66 clean sheets.

Kane drew level on Oct. 6, starting the 3-0 Nations League win over Czechia at Wembley and scoring twice. Before that game, England posted a video message from Shilton, who told him: "you will go on and beat it in November, I am sure of that -- and maybe go on and set a record that will never be beaten."

Kane's own count started in March 2015, when he came off the bench against Lithuania and scored 79 seconds later, ESPN noted. He became a centurion against Finland in September 2024 and passed Wayne Rooney (120) at this summer's World Cup.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel framed the week as a double occasion, coming right after Kane became England's first Ballon d'Or winner in 25 years. "He wins the Ballon d'Or, deservedly so, and then gets the all-time record for England with 126 appearances in his next England game," Tuchel said on Friday, per Football Muse.

He was just as clear that the acheivement comes with a job attached. "It's an important match for us. It is a crucial match for us, to set up a final in Spain after," he said.

The math is simple. England, second in their group, clinch a quarterfinal place if they avoid defeat against Croatia, according to the Football Association. Topping the group would take wins over both Croatia and Spain in Madrid on Sunday, Nov. 15, plus a better goal difference than the Spanish, who won 3-2 at Wembley in September.

The last meeting is not one Croatia will want to revisit. England won 7-0 in Rijeka on Oct. 3, with Kane scoring twice, Bukayo Saka adding two more and Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also on the scoresheet.

Slaven Bilić, back for a second spell in charge, has talked up his defense since, describing Joško Gvardiol and Luka Vušković to UEFA as "a centre-back pair for ten years." Luka Modrić, meanwhile, became the oldest scorer in Nations League history in September.

Kane, 33, is already England's record scorer with 91 goals. One more appearance turns him into the record holder for caps too, and he will have a second shot at extending it three days later in Madrid.