The European season is well underway, with the top teams across the continent already showcasing their best form.
The battle for Champions League glory could make for compelling viewing in 2025-26, with two pre-season favorites, Barcelona and Liverpool, both already showing signs of vulnerability.
German giants Bayern Munich could emerge as a leading contender, as their form has reached new heights under Vincent Kompany this term, with much of their success attributed to the historic scoring feats recorded by Harry Kane.
But could the English captain fire the Bavarian giants to European success in his third season with the German club?
Kane Getting Better and Better
There’s little doubt that Kane is one of the leading players in world soccer, which makes his 13th-place finish in the recent Ballon d’Or even more remarkable.
Despite being one of the leading marksmen in Premier League history, there was always a sense that his ability was never truly respected across Europe. However, that has changed in three years with Bayern Munich. The England captain made more history in a recent 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, as he became the first Bundesliga player in the competition’s history to reach 11 league goals in just six matches.
Harry Kane long passes are just.. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/MWEenNx9PT
— 🇩🇪²⁰ (@razurax_) October 6, 2025
His form across all competitions has shown that he’s better than ever, with a staggering 18 goals in 10 appearances. His performances in the Champions League have also gained rave reviews, as he became the fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for a club playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
How Does Kane Compare?
Kane’s staggering numbers since joining Bayern Munich have seen him mentioned in the same conversation as some of the very best players of the modern era.
In fact, he reached 100 goals for a club faster than global superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kane’s current form also stacks up better than both at the start of a new season, with Messi’s best tally after nine games seeing him net 12 times.
Robert Lewandowski is the closest match to Kane based on the stats, as he netted 13 in nine games for Bayern Munich in 2021-22. However, it’s always worth remembering that the biggest prizes in world soccer aren’t handed out in October.
Maintaining Form is Key for Bayern
There’s already a strong case that Bayern Munich look incredibly hard to catch in the Bundesliga. The German giants already sit four points clear of the chasing pack and have yet to show any signs of slipping from their perfect record at the start of the new campaign.
However, Kompany’s second season in Bavaria is likely to be judged based on how Bayern perform in the Champions League. With Barcelona, Manchester City, and Liverpool all looking vulnerable, the German champions could be the most reliable team in the competition.
0.03(xG).
What a strike from Harry Kane 🔥
— The xG Philosophy 🇪🇺 (@xGPhilosophyEU) October 7, 2025
Their progress will be tested in early November, when Bayern visit PSG on the 4th before taking on Arsenal later that month. Victories in both matches will undoubtedly make them the favorites for Champions League success in 2025-26.
Kane’s Form Unlikely to Drop Off
In truth, the one safe bet with Bayern this season is that Kane’s high level of form will continue. Even when the Bavarian club fell short in the Bundesliga in 2023-24, the England captain was still recording stunning numbers, scoring 44 goals in 45 matches.
His output barely dipped during last season’s title-winning campaign, as he netted 41 in 51 appearances. Kane’s ability to continue to hit high-scoring numbers ensures that he will rank among the top scorers in Europe, and he hasn’t scored fewer than 20 league goals in a single season since 2021-22.
🇨🇴🗣️ Luis Diaz: “Harry Kane? He does everything, score goals, shapes the game, and even defends. He totally suprised me. I’m very happy to be able to play alongside him.”
“From the time I played at Liverpool and he was still at Tottenham, I knew he scored a lot of goals, but… pic.twitter.com/JQYKeqKpDN
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) October 7, 2025
The trailblazing forward already looks on course to hit 40 goals across all competitions once again this term, as he’s nearly halfway toward his tally from 2024-25. Therefore, if Bayern are to fall short in the Champions League this season, it’s unlikely to be down to the lack of goals from their key man in the number nine position.
