Harry Kane reveals shifting to Neymar & Mario Balotelli penalty style after miss at 2022 World Cup

The England captain has scored 23 goals in the league for Bayern Munich so far this season.

Following his horrific miss at the 2022 World Cup, Harry Kane of Bayern Munich has acknowledged that he has been influenced by Neymar and Mario Balotelli’s penalty approach.

The 31-year-old opened out about how his missed penalty against France in England’s quarterfinal loss in Qatar changed his perspective in an interview with TNT Sports Brazil. Kane has switched to a more reactive technique, closely observing the goalie before making a run, rather than depending solely on strength and precision.

Kane emphasised the impact of a number of well-known forwards who have evolved distinctive strategies for taking penalties. He notably cited Neymar and Balotelli as players who frequently hold off on hitting the ball until they have seen the goalkeeper’s intentions.

Kane said: “There’s quite a few players over the years who have taken penalties like that. I think [some players] pop into my head, [Mario] Balotelli was like this, Neymar was like this. There have been players that wait for the keeper before they hit it. That was never something I used to do, I used to go for more power and precision.”

Kane’s late mistake from the penalty spot proved to be a crucial moment as England’s final World Cup campaign ended tragically in the quarterfinals against France. After successfully converting a penalty earlier in the game, he missed his second try in the closing moments as France managed to win 2-1.

Kane has shown steady success since implementing this updated approach. The striker has maintained a flawless conversion record this season, scoring all nine of his penalties for Bayern in the Bundesliga. With 34 goals in 41 games across all competitions, his overall play has been nothing less than spectacular.

When they go to play Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal match tonight, Kane and Bayern Munich will be put to the test. To guarantee a spot in the semi-finals, the German champions will have to overcome a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

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