England have suffered a major setback ahead of their friendly against Wales, as captain Harry Kane is ruled out with an ankle injury.
The striker picked up the knock while playing for Bayern Munich in a 3-0 Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, reports Nine.
Manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Kane will not be risked for the Wembley fixture, describing it as “too painful to kick a ball.”
Tuchel added that the decision was precautionary and expressed optimism that Kane will recover in time for next week’s World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
The England captain has been in blistering form for Bayern, netting 18 goals and adding three assists in just 10 matches this season.
Despite his prolific form, Kane finished only 13th in the Ballon d’Or rankings, something Tuchel described as “unfair for such a team player.”
Watkins Set to Lead the Line
With Kane sidelined, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is expected to start up front for the Three Lions at Wembley.
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Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon are also potential options, while Declan Rice or Jordan Henderson could captain the side.
Kane, England’s all-time top scorer with 74 goals, remains confident about returning to action soon.
Meanwhile, Wales boss Craig Bellamy has called England’s $2.85 billion squad “ridiculous,” but vowed his players will “fight bravely” and “not defend deep” in the clash.
England remain firm favourites as they seek to extend their perfect record at Wembley against Wales.
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