Harry Kane becomes England's all-time record goalscorer in Naples

Harry Kane became England's all-time leading men's goalscorer on 23 March 2023, when he scored a penalty against Italy in Naples. The match was a Euro 2024 qualifier, and England won it 2-1.

The goal was his 54th for his country. It took him past Wayne Rooney, who had scored 53 times for England and had held the record since 2015, when he overtook Sir Bobby Charlton's long-standing total. Kane reached the mark in his 81st international appearance, far fewer games than Rooney had needed.

The record mattered because Kane, the Tottenham Hotspur striker and England captain, had been the national team's main attacking figure since the mid-2010s. He had also won the Golden Boot as top scorer at the 2018 World Cup. Passing Rooney confirmed him as the leading scorer in England's history, and he kept adding to the total in the months that followed, setting up the later milestones in his international career.

Note: the date on the original timeline entry, 19 June 2023, does not match this match, which was played in March.