Harry Kane has moved to silence speculation about his future retirement, declaring that — at 33 years old — he is performing at the very peak of his physical and mental capabilities.

The England captain and Bayern Munich striker made the comments in an interview with former Bayern midfielder and TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves, which will air as part of The Breakdown: Harry Kane on TNT Sports 2.

Drawing inspiration from Messi, Ronaldo, and Modric

Kane pointed to the extended elite careers of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modric as proof that top-level performance well into the late 30s — and even beyond — is achievable.

"I've said before that Messi, Ronaldo — they were just still getting better into their 30s and into their mid 30s," Kane explained. "I think I'm at that peak right now. I feel physically in a great place, mentally."

With Ronaldo now performing in his 40s and Modric similarly defying age, Kane says those examples fuel his own ambitions for longevity. "When I see players like Messi and Ronaldo and Luka Modric playing until late 30s — or Ronaldo's in his 40s now, Luka is in his 40s — it gives me the motivation to be able to do that," he added.

Cherishing the moment after a demanding World Cup summer

Kane's comments come on the back of an intense FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with England, where the Three Lions were eliminated in the semi-finals by Argentina. Despite the heartbreak of that exit, the striker says the experience has sharpened his appreciation for the time he has left at the top.

"I think at this stage you just try and cherish these moments," Kane said. "The moment I'm in right now, I feel so good — how can I just sustain this and make sure that this lasts forever? As we know it, it won't — but those players give me the motivation."

The work behind the scenes

Central to Kane's sustained output — he netted 73 goals across all competitions last season — is a rigorous commitment to off-pitch preparation that he says has grown in importance throughout his late 20s and into his 30s.

"I do a lot of work behind the scenes on recovery, on being fit, on making sure I'm available every game, and I think that's a big aspect of scoring this amount of goals," Kane said. "The last six, seven years have been a big part of my career — as you get to kind of late 20s, you start to realise this career isn't going to last forever."

Kane emphasised that availability itself is a core responsibility to any manager and squad. "I think availability is a really important thing for any team, any coach, and I try to make sure I'm there for my team — and that allows me then to perform to the level where I do and score the goals that I score."

With Bayern Munich targeting UEFA Champions League glory this season, Kane's fitness and form will be central to their ambitions.