Harry Kane Eyes MLS Move to Pursue NFL Placekicking Dream

Harry Kane has outlined a possible route into American football once his elite soccer career eventually reaches its later stages, suggesting an MLS move could allow him to pursue NFL placekicking alongside his playing commitments.

Kane puts NFL ambition into long-term perspective

England’s captain raised the prospect while speaking at St George’s Park on Wednesday, as the national team prepared to welcome World Cup holders Spain in the Nations League on Saturday.

The Bayern Munich forward, who turned 33 in July, made clear that any switch into another sport remains a distant consideration. He is enjoying a prolific spell in Germany after scoring 73 goals last season and is among the leading candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He is also understood to be close to agreeing a fresh Bayern contract.

Kane said a future spell in Major League Soccer could make the idea more practical because of the possibility of fitting the two sporting calendars together.

“If I ended up in MLS, or somewhere similar, there could perhaps be a way of linking the seasons,” Kane said. “It is something I want to examine more seriously. Much will depend on where my career stands in five or six years, my desire, and what I want next. The NFL is certainly more achievable than golf.”

Penalty technique seen as a route to placekicking

Kane believes the demands of taking penalties offer a meaningful foundation for kicking in the NFL, particularly in terms of striking technique and performing under intense pressure.

• He cited Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey as an example of the crossover being possible. Aubrey was drafted by Toronto FC in MLS before becoming one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers.
• Former Tottenham forward Clive Allen also moved into American football, playing for the London Monarchs in NFL Europe.
• Kane’s own record includes years of high-level penalty-taking and finishing for Tottenham, Bayern Munich and England.
• His interest in the NFL has also been shaped by his long-standing admiration for Tom Brady.

“Taking a penalty involves very similar pressure and mechanics,” Kane said. “From a training perspective, that would put me nearer to it than any other sport. But I would approach it properly and would need perhaps six months to a year of dedicated practice first.”

European focus remains the priority

Kane stressed that the prospect should not be mistaken for a plan to leave top-level soccer soon. With Bayern contract discussions progressing and his form at its peak, he said he intends to maximise the remaining years of his career in Europe.

“As long as people can see that I am still performing at the highest level in soccer, it would not really be a discussion,” he said. “At 33, I am trying to get everything possible from the time I have left at the top.”

The England striker has spoken about the NFL before, having suggested in 2019 that he could explore it in 10 to 12 years. His latest comments, however, set out a clearer potential framework: continue competing at the highest level, consider MLS later in his career, then prepare extensively for a specialist NFL kicking role.