Wayne Rooney was a level above any England player during his peak – but Harry Kane is the country’s greatest ever player.That’s the view of winger Andros Townsend, who played with Kane at Tottenham and with the Three Lions, and alongside Rooney at international level.Harry Kane scored his 82nd England goal against Panama on Saturday night, taking him 29 clear of RooneyGettyKane has played a starring role in England’s 2026 World Cup campaign so far – scoring three of their six goals.That includes the 32-year-old’s second-half header against Panama on Saturday night to set up a round-of-32 meeting with DR Congo on Wednesday.The goal was Kane’s 82nd for the national team, and 70th this season, as the Bayern Munich hitman continues to break records for both club and country.It means Kane has now bagged 29 more goals than Rooney, who sits second to the Bayern star as England’s all-time goalscorer.Four of Rooney’s 53 England goals came during his breakthrough at Euro 2004 – a haul that Kane matched at Euro 2020.Are Roo serious?And while Rooney never made it to a semi-final at a major international tournament, something Kane has done three times [Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 finals, World Cup 2018 semi-final], Townsend believes that peak Rooney at Euro 2004 was a level above the Three Lions skipper.That is despite Kane being England’s all-time top scorer at the World Cup with 11 goals, and the country’s joint leading scorer [alongside Alan Shearer] at the European Championship with seven strikes.Speaking on World Cup Breakfast on Monday morning, co-host Andy Goldstein asked Townsend: “Is Harry Kane England’s greatest ever player?”To which the ex-Spurs and Newcastle United winger stated: “I think if you’re talking about peak, I think Rooney, Euro 2004.“Nobody, in my lifetime, nobody can beat that.”Peak Rooney at Euro 2004 was another level, according to TownsendGetty Images - GettyTownsend, though, believes that Harry Kane is England’s most important playerGettyThe 34-year-old did concede, however, that Kane’s standard at the highest level for a prolonged period of time puts him above the ex-Manchester United and Everton star.“But I think longevity, it has to be Harry Kane,” Townsend continued.“The guy made his debut in 2015, I think, and now 11 years later, he’s still the go-to man, he’s still the talisman, the captain, the top goal scorer.“I don’t think any striker that I’ve seen in my lifetime has had that longevity that Harry’s had.“So for me, I have to put him above Rooney for that longevity.”‘You need a Harry Kane’Darren Bent then posed the question: “Would you say Kane is still the most important player?”Kane has scored three goals at the 2026 World Cup, a haul he’ll hope to add to against DR Congo on WednesdayGettyBayern Munich striker Kane has overtaken Lineker as England’s all-time top World Cup goalscorerTo which Townsend replied: “I think so, because especially when you’re playing your Panama’s and your Ghana’s, the chances are going to be few and far between because of how compact these sides are.“DR Congo would be the same, and they get men behind the ball, they’re compact.“And you need a poacher, you need a Harry Kane who, barring that Ghana miss in the last minute, you give him a chance, he’s going to score it.“And you’ve seen in this World Cup, he’s got three goals, I think it is, he’s probably had four or five chances to score.“So we need that, when we’re playing against a DR Congo or a Ghana, we need that clinical striker who’s going to put the ball in the back of the net.“And if he’s injured or if he’s not playing, I don’t think… Ollie Watkins offers something different, Ivan Toney as well, but I don’t think we have that clinical striker in the box when we need it.”Only Lionel Messi has scored more goals than Kane in a single season for club and country in the 21st centuryEngland’s round-of-32 meeting with DR Congo kicks off at 5pm [UK Time] on Wednesday.Victory over the Leopards would see the Three Lions face either co-hosts Mexico or Ecuador in the last-16.World Cup WhatsAppDon't miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup’ in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.It’s where you’ll find out all the new rules to watch out for, England and Scotland reaction and big match player ratings. Plus there will be loads of debates on the biggest talking points as Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and the biggest names in football descend on America, Canada and Mexico.