Thomas Tuchel's recent England squad revealed a stark shortage of traditional center forwards, with Harry Kane being the only pure striker among 25 players. Injuries partly explain this—Ollie Watkins was rested due to not fully recovering, Dominic Solanke has been out since August, and Liam Delap has only just returned after two months off. Tuchel included versatile forwards like Marcus Rashford, Jarrod Bowen, Phil Foden, and Anthony Gordon, who can play striker if needed, but heavy reliance on 32-year-old Kane as the lone traditional striker remains a concern ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Kane is performing exceptionally well in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. Yet only eight English strikers have appeared in the Premier League this season, with Delap (22) as the only one under 26. The younger generation lacks true center forward options. England's U21 squad had essentially no traditional striker in the recent European Championship, with Devin Mbama (21) the only pure center forward on the list, currently on loan from Manchester City to Stoke City and yet to score in the Premier League.
English strikers' goal tallies are discouraging. Only Danny Welbeck (35) and Callum Wilson (33) have scored more than one Premier League goal this season. Ivan Toney, currently with Saudi club Al-Ahli, is the most prolific English striker this season with 11 goals in 15 appearances but has seen limited international action since June.
The decline in English strikers is a long-term trend. Last season only three English forwards scored 10+ Premier League goals (Watkins 16, Delap 12, Welbeck 10)—the lowest ever. This contrasts sharply with 1992-93 when over 20 English strikers hit double digits. The COVID-19 affected seasons saw English strikers scoring only 67 goals last season, less than half compared to 2020-21.
Former stars and analysts attribute this drop to fewer match opportunities among English strikers and tactical shifts. Coaches prefer wide players engaged in build-up play rather than traditional "number 9" roles. Alan Shearer noted young players avoid striker positions due to limited ball touches and focus on wide runs. Chris Sutton agrees, saying current tactics favor outside forwards who cut inside rather than a central goal poacher.
Premier League clubs now buy many foreign strikers, reducing English strikers’ club playtime. Tactical formations have moved away from two-striker systems to single striker setups backed by versatile wide attackers.
Overall, England faces a shortage of traditional strikers due to tactical evolution, fewer playing opportunities, and a generation of players favoring other attacking roles—posing a challenge for future national team lineups.
