Roy Keane has delivered a pointed message to Harry Kane ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026: stop dropping deep and trust England's supporting cast to do the creative work.

The former Manchester United captain, speaking on ITV, argued that the extreme heat expected at the tournament will punish any forward who wastes energy drifting into midfield. For Keane, Kane's role is simple — stay high, stay sharp, and be available when it matters most.

"Be smart enough with your position. He doesn't need to be coming back beyond the halfway line trying to spray balls — there's enough players who can do that and enough quality. You get yourself in there, you're the best in the world at this moment in time. If England want to win the big trophy, he's going to be your main man."

Keane also pointed to Kane's experience in high-stakes football — particularly his time with Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League — as the foundation he must lean on to manage his workload across a gruelling tournament.

"He has to have that experience now, and maybe he's learnt a lot more playing for Bayern in those big Champions League games. But with that experience, he's got to be sensible — we're talking about the conditions."

Kane's timing could not be better

Kane arrives at the World Cup in the finest form of his career. His most recent season at Bayern Munich was the most prolific of his professional life, further cementing his standing among the world's elite forwards.

The 32-year-old carried that momentum into England's opening fixture on Saturday, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory over New Zealand in Tampa. Keane noted that although the finish itself was composed, Kane had drifted into the area rather than making a purposeful run — a habit the Irishman wants him to refine as the competition intensifies.

With England harbouring serious ambitions of lifting the trophy, Keane's advice is straightforward: let the playmakers play, and let Kane do what he does better than almost anyone else in the world right now — score goals.