Harry Kane has proven he is the best striker in the world - now Bayern Munich's goal-machine must seize his golden chance at immortality

Harry Kane could be on the cusp of greatness, if such a title isn't already guaranteed. Bayern Munich will be looking to the England captain to score the goals that will give them the edge over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals, while another Bundesliga title is already wrapped up, the World Cup is fast approaching and he is already in the box seat for the Ballon d'Or. It promises to be a gilded season for the 32-year-old.

Some of his rivals might have been short of their best in this particular campaign, and future battles will be more intense as he reaches the twilight of his career, but there is no question that Kane is the finest striker on the planet at present. He is streets ahead of the rest as he nears the end of a remarkable individual season with Bayern, but with so much still to play for - both for club and country - he will be determined not to run out of steam in his quest to make history on multiple fronts.

The best centre-forward in the world has a golden opportunity that he must seize over the coming weeks, starting in the showdown with PSG...

New heights

At the ripe old age of 32, Kane is delivering what is comfortably the best goal-scoring campaign of his prolific career.

The England captain does now have an obscene 95 goals in just 91 appearances in Germany's top-flight, becoming the quickest player to reach that tally since Dieter Muller in the 1970s, and the FC Koln icon required 32 games more. Kane's 51 goals in all competitions is the most by any player in Europe's top-five leagues since Lewandowski's overall haul of 55 in 2019-20, and the current Bayern No.9 looks absolutely certain to surpass that.

He is a ridiculous nine goals ahead of closest challengers Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe (24 each) in the race for Europe's Golden Boot, and that is despite a recent calf issue slowing his goal rate, with another Bundesliga title already wrapped up.

'Unlocked that next level'

His coach, Vincent Kompany, noted early in the season that Kane had reached a new plane. "He has unlocked that next level himself," the Belgian tactician said way back in October. "He has always done it in his career. His development is a mentality thing. He worked every year.

"Maybe it helped that he had not won the titles until then, because he kept that hunger that you expect from young players. You cannot develop such a player further. He has to want it."

Speaking about the striker

Team effort

Kane reaching these new heights certainly hasn't been a solitary pursuit; the hitman has combined wonderfully with wingers Michael Olise and Luis Diaz to form

Bayern's razor-sharp attacking trident has delivered

While his individual exploits have been incredible, there is little doubt that Kane wouldn't be Europe's leading marksman this season with out the Frenchman and Colombian by his side.

Matching Messi

With a second Bundesliga title wrapped up and his so-called trophy curse now a thing of the distant past, Kane will be targeting his first Champions League crown. However, overcoming PSG in the semi-finals will be no mean feat; indeed, many consider this fixture worthy of the final in Budapest. Bayern's main man up top, though, could hardly be in finer fettle going into the two-legged showdown with the holders, with his excellent form in front of goal extending to European football.

Having netted in both instalments of the quarter-final against Real Madrid to move onto 52 Champions League goals in 68 appearances, he has remarkably

Only former Manchester United hitman Ruud van Nistelrooy boasts a better record, having plundered 53 strikes in his first 67 appearances at the top table of European football.

'Global figurehead' going nowhere

Kane's exploits are made all the more remarkable by the fact that there has been constant noise surrounding his future at the Allianz Arena, largely drummed up by the English media amid the belief that the striker might want to return to the Premier League at some stage to chase down Alan Shearer's 260-goal record.

The fact his contract expires in 2027 and the emergence of a cut-price, now-expired €65 million (£57m/$77m) summer release clause means that speculation has only intensified, but the 32-year-old has given no indication that he intends to leave anytime soon, and it seems a new deal may well beckon instead as

"Today I'd buy him for 150 million (euros)," Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeness said recently. "Because he's a dream for Bayern Munich. A global figurehead. A good character, a role model for our youth, our 18-year-olds. He puts his arm around them. He tells them how they need to strike the ball."

Speaking to

Rivals fall away

At this point in time, it's difficult to argue that Kane isn't the finest striker on the entire planet, albeit he probably still doesn't get the plaudits he deserves back in his home country, where the perception is that Bundesliga defences are far weaker than those in the Premier League.

As we've touched upon, his cause has been aided by the fact his rivals for that title haven't been able to keep up with the rapid pace he's set this season;

Of course, none of that prolific trio of competitors is in contention to win the Champions League this season, either, making it almost impossible to argue that Kane isn't the best in his position, and perhaps even overall at present...

Golden opportunity

Kane quite literally has a golden opportunity as the season enters its final weeks; he stands 270 minutes away from winning a first-ever Champions League that would cement his standing as

Then in the summer, of course, there is the small matter of the World Cup and quite possibly his best and final chance of winning a major trophy with his country. The striker is already likely to hold the Golden Ball aloft in Paris later this year - becoming the first Englishman to do so since Michael Owen in 2001 - but his coronation would be rubber-stamped if he were able to end the Three Lions' 60 years of hurt in North America.

The title of best player on the planet is tantalisingly within reach, and going off his form this season, this isn't an opportunity Kane is going to let pass him by.