Bayern Munich and Harry Kane rewrote the record books Tuesday.
The German giants obliterated Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 to open their 2024-25 Champions League campaign, with Kane finding the net four times.
Kane’s quartet of tallies saw him surpass Wayne Rooney to become the highest-scoring Englishman in Champions League history. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker now has 33 career goals in the competition, three clear of Rooney’s mark.
Kane, who converted three penalties in the contest, now has 53 goals in 50 games since joining the German club.
“An amazing game – a bit of a crazy game,” Kane said after the match, according to Agence France-Presse. “It’s the first time I’ve scored three (penalties) in a game. That doesn’t happen at all really.
“I practice my penalties, I have a good routine, but to be honest, I didn’t really know what to do for the third one. But thankfully I was able to put it away.”
His prolific outing also helped Bayern establish a new benchmark as a club. The Bavarian giants became the first team in the Champions League era to score nine goals in a single match. Multiple teams, including Bayern, had previously scored eight.
Tuesday’s emphatic win, which fired Bayern to the top of the new 36-team Champions League table, continues the club’s perfect start to the season. The Bavarian side has also won all three of its league matches to open the 2024-25 campaign.
Raphael Guerreiro, Michael Olise, Leroy Sane, and Leon Goretzka also got on the scoresheet as Bayern made an early statement of intent. Goretzka capped the scoring spree, establishing the record for Bayern, in the 92nd minute at the Allianz Arena.
Dinamo Zagreb actually scored twice in quick succession in the second half to pull within one goal at 3-2, but Bayern turned on the afterburners from there and poured it on to claim the eye-catching victory.
Thomas Muller came off the bench late to add yet another element of history to the match, making his 152nd appearance in the Champions League. That’s the most by any player for a single club, overtaking Barcelona icon Xavi.
