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England captain Harry Kane has set a new record for Three Lions goals in a calendar year by netting his 13th of 2021 against San Marino.
George Hilsdon (in 1908) and Dixie Dean (in 1927) for a long time stood alone with a benchmark dozen in a single year before Kane also tallied 12 in England colours in 2019.
The Tottenham forward reached that mark again at home to Albania on Friday as he netted his fourth international hat-trick.
The 5-0 Wembley win meant England needed only a point at minnows San Marino to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, but Kane was keen to feature and add to his total.
“[Kane] is quick to let me know that he hasn’t played in those games [against Andorra and San Marino],” manager Gareth Southgate said at the weekend.
In an otherwise experimental line-up on Monday, featuring Emile Smith Rowe from the start for the first time, Kane led the line and got on the scoresheet.
Kane netted the visitors’ third from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after Harry Maguire’s opener and a Filippo Fabbri own goal.
It was England’s 45th goal of 2021, also extending a team record at the end of a year that began with a 5-0 home success against San Marino.
