Move over Messi and Ronaldo: record breaker Harry Kane wants to earn place alongside duo

Tottenham striker Harry Kane says his record-breaking year was fuelled by a desire to silence the doubters by earning his place alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Kane’s hat-trick in Tottenham’s 5-2 win over Southampton on Tuesday proved a landmark moment for the England star.

His 39 goals in 36 games smashes Alan Shearer’s record for Premier League goals scored in a calendar year, after Shearer managed 36 in 42 games back in 1995.

Perhaps even more impressively, Kane will finish this year with 56 goals for club and country, which is two better than Barcelona’s Messi has managed and three more than Real Madrid’s Ronaldo.

Kane is the first player ever to finish a calendar year with six Premier League hat-tricks.

Tottenham fans revelled in their hero’s success with a song mocking those that branded Kane a one-season wonder after he exploded onto the scene with 21 league goals in 2014-15.

Kane scored 25 and 29 in his next two campaigns and has 18 already this term.