England have used 13 strikers since Solanke's last game in 2017 – this is how they got on

Dominic Solanke hasn’t played for England since November 14, 2017 — when he came on as a 75th-minute substitute for Jamie Vardy against Brazil in a goalless friendly at Wembley Stadium.

In the almost seven years since Solanke’s only cap, the national team have played 90 games, scored 196 goals, used 87 players and competed at four major tournaments.

However, the Tottenham Hotspur striker is in Lee Carsley’s squad for this month’s Nations League fixtures against Greece and Finland — and if he plays it will represent the longest gap between England appearances for more than 20 years (former goalkeeper Ian Walker from February 1997 to June 2004) and the longest by an outfield player since 1980 (Frank Lampard Sr. from October 1972 to May 1980).

Thirteen players defined as centre-forwards have made an appearance for England since Solanke, 27, last did — from the country’s record scorer to two members of the one-cap club. Oh, and the current Plymouth Argyle manager too.

Here, The Athletic takes a look at how each of these 13 men have performed playing up front for England since Solanke last did and where they are now.

Games for England since Solanke’s only cap: 77 
Goals for England since Solanke’s only cap: 56
Assists for England since Solanke’s only cap: 15

Kane, now England’s all-time record goalscorer, was well-established in the team before Solanke’s sole cap. The ex-Tottenham striker had played 23 times for his country when Solanke, then at Liverpool, featured against Brazil in 2017. Since then he has gone on to score 56 goals for the national team — with 15 at major tournaments.

He has captained England in two finals in this period (Euro 2020 & Euro 2024) and last month became the 10th man to reach 100 caps for England. The 31-year-old will be confident of breaking Peter Shilton’s long-standing record of 125 England appearances.

Kane scored 44 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich last season and, despite appearing sluggish at times during Euro 2024, looks like he has several more years of top-level football remaining.

Games: 45 
Goals: 15
Assists: 1

Rashford, who started up front in that game against Brazil in 2017, had 15 caps to his name when Solanke made his debut — despite having just turned 20.

The Manchester United player, who turns 27 at the end of this month, has had a mixed time for England since — with some epic highs combined with a handful of lows. He scored three times at the 2022 World Cup but also missed in the penalty shootout that decided the Euro 2020 final and wasn’t named in the squad for Euro 2024.

He has been left out of both of England’s squads since then (including this one) and will be looking to reclaim his place soon and play at a third World Cup in 2026 — a feat nobody has bettered for the national team. He is certainly talented enough to do so.

Games: 15
Goals: 4
Assists: 0

Watkins made his England debut in March 2021 — scoring 20 minutes after coming on as a substitute against San Marino in a World Cup qualifier.

The Aston Villa striker has only found the net three times in his 14 England games since then — but nine of those appearances have come as a substitute.

Watkins did, however, score one of the most iconic goals in England’s recent history with his sensational shot, while on the turn, into the far corner against the Netherlands in the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

Kane’s consistency has hurt Watkins’ minutes, but the 28-year-old will be hoping that as time goes on he becomes a more permanent fixture in the England starting line-up. You wouldn’t bet against him leading the line at the 2026 World Cup.

Games: 11
Goals: 4
Assists: 0

Another player who scored on his England debut (against Wales in October 2020), Everton’s Calvert-Lewin has made 11 England appearances — with the last of those coming against Ukraine in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 in July 2021.

He earned his first call-up after scoring nine goals in his first six club games of the 2020-21 season and then scored after starting against Wales at Wembley.

He played twice at Euro 2020 but hasn’t had a look-in since — largely down to his poor returns in front of goal (scoring just 14 times in the previous three Premier League seasons combined) and his long injury lay-offs. The 27-year-old recently said he hopes to play himself back into the squad.

Calvert-Lewin scored against Wales on his debut in 2020 (Nick Potts/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Tammy Abraham

Games: 9
Goals: 3
Assists: 1

Abraham hasn’t played for England for more than two years and has started just three games for his country overall.

He made his debut on November 10, 2017 against Germany while on loan at Swansea City from Chelsea and earned his second cap four days later against Brazil in the game where Solanke (then aged 20) made his first, and only, England appearance. The duo entered the field of play together as substitutes with 15 minutes remaining.

Abraham’s last goal for England — against San Marino in November 2021 — was the 100th by an England substitute.

He joined Roma in the summer of 2021 and had an impressive first season in the Italian capital, scoring 27 goals in 53 games in all competitions and helping the club win the Europa Conference League. However, since then a lack of form (not helped by a long absence due to injury) has denied the 27-year-old further England recognition and he seems unlikely to return to the fold soon. He joined AC Milan on loan in the summer and will be hoping to re-ignite his career there.

Games: 9
Goals: 2
Assists: 1

Wilson became the first Bournemouth player to score for England when he found the net on his debut against the USMNT in November 2018. He played three more times for Gareth Southgate’s team in the next 11 months, before being dropped for more than three years.

He then earned a stunning recall for the 2022 World Cup and made two appearances in the group stage in Qatar. His last appearance for England came in September 2023 in a friendly against Scotland.

Wilson, 32, is yet to play for Newcastle United in this campaign due to injury and his minutes have been reduced over recent seasons due to competition for places up front.

Jamie Vardy

Games: 7
Goals: 1
Assists: 0

Vardy’s final minutes representing his country came in extra time of the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia with England desperately searching for an equaliser that never came.

The Leicester City forward played in four of England’s seven games at that tournament in Russia, with three of those appearances as a substitute. He retired from international football later that summer but has remained a consistent scorer at club level and is approaching the 200-goal mark for Leicester (on 192). He is one of three players on this list, along with Kane and Wayne Rooney, to have scored 100 goals in the Premier League.

With his last England appearance coming at the age of 31, Vardy could well have carried on under Southgate and added to his total of seven goals (one since Solanke’s debut).

Vardy’s last England appearance came at the 2018 World Cup in the semi-finals (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Games: 6
Goals: 1
Assists: 0

Welbeck’s last England appearance came aged just 27 in September 2018, following a summer where had been taken to — and played at — the World Cup.

Injuries meant he slipped further and further away from a recall. But he has started this season very brightly — scoring four goals in seven Premier League appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion. Only Erling Haaland (10), Bryan Mbeumo (six), Cole Palmer (six) and Luis Diaz (five) have scored more than the 33-year-old in the English top flight in 2024-25.

Adding to his total of 42 caps and 16 goals seems unlikely now given his age, but never say never.

Ivan Toney

Games: 6
Goals: 1
Assists: 1

Toney became the first Brentford player to appear for England since Leslie Smith in 1939 when he came on as a late substitute against Ukraine in a Euro 2024 qualifier in March 2023.

Then, less than two months later, he was banned from all football for eight months for breaching Football Association betting rules. It was a devastating blow for the forward and left many questioning whether he would play for his country again.

He did. Exactly a year on from his first cap, he became the first Brentford player to score for England when he tucked away a typically cool penalty against Belgium in a friendly at Wembley.

The 28-year-old played his way into Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024 (in part due to his incredible spot-kick record) and came on as a substitute in the last 16, quarter-finals and final at the tournament in Germany. He took England’s fourth penalty in the shootout victory over Switzerland in the last eight and, unsurprisingly, scored.

After a long-running transfer saga, Toney joined Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia in August — a move which has seemingly ended his England career… for now.

Games: 2
Goals: 1
Assists: 0

Ings earned his second England cap in September 2020, almost five years on from his first against Lithuania in October 2015. He was selected again as a result of a hugely impressive 2019-20 season for Southampton when he scored 22 goals in the Premier League (the most by a player for the club in the top flight since James Beattie’s 23 in 2002-03).

Southgate recalled him the following month and he started (alongside Calvert-Lewin) against Wales at Wembley. Ings scored in the 63rd minute but hasn’t played for England since.

The 32-year-old is now at West Ham United and has only found the net four times in 40 Premier League games for the club since joining in January 2023. The chance of a recall to the national team appears remote.

Ings celebrating his goal against Wales (Glyn Kirk/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney

Games: 1
Goals: 0
Assists: 0

That’s right. Rooney, 39 later this month, has played for England more recently than Solanke. England’s then-record scorer returned for a farewell game against the USMNT in November 2018, with his previous appearance having come more than two years previously.

It was Rooney’s 120th cap (a record for an outfield player), but he couldn’t add to his 53 goals after coming on for the last 32 minutes.

The former captain was playing for D.C. United at the time, so became the second man to appear for England while playing club football in USA (after David Beckham at LA Galaxy). He came close to scoring late on, but was denied by USMNT goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Rooney has since gone into management and is already on his fourth job at Plymouth Argyle in the Championship.

Games: 1
Goals: 0
Assists: 0

Bamford’s only appearance for England came on his 28th birthday in September 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Wembley. His call-up came after his impressive season for Leeds United in 2020-21, where he scored 17 goals in 38 Premier League games to help the newly-promoted team finish ninth.

He started the match but failed to find the net and was replaced by Kane just after the 60-minute mark. He hasn’t represented his country since.

Bamford is playing in the Championship for a second successive season with Leeds and, aged 31, may well remain a member of the one-cap club.

Games: 1
Goals: 0
Assists: 0

Nketiah played for England against Australia at Wembley in October 2023, with the then-Arsenal player coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute for goalscorer Watkins.

He had just two touches and hasn’t played for England since. Now at Crystal Palace, it would appear Nketiah is well down the pecking order given England’s abundance of attacking talent. Yet given his age (25), a recall further down the line remains a possibility.

Of these 13 players, Nketiah is the one who has scored a Premier League hat-trick the most recently — doing so against Sheffield United in October 2023 (the same month that he played for England).

(Top photo: Getty Images)