Bayern Munich’s star striker, Harry Kane, has firmly responded to recent criticism by delivering a stunning performance on the pitch, setting a new Bundesliga record for the fastest player to reach 50 goals.

Kane’s second-half hat-trick in Bayern’s 3-0 home victory over Augsburg on Friday not only propelled the team eight points clear at the top of the table but also saw him hit the milestone in just 43 games, surpassing Erling Haaland’s previous record of 50 goals in 50 matches.

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The England captain’s clinical display included two penalty goals, extending his remarkable streak to 25 consecutive penalties scored for both club and country since his last miss against France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.

This hat-trick marked Kane’s seventh in the Bundesliga since joining Bayern in the summer of 2023.

The 31-year-old’s hat-trick comes after he faced criticism during the international break, with some suggesting he should make way for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Addressing the doubters, Kane stated, “I’m used to that now,” acknowledging that the pressure of being a top striker is part of the territory. “I’m experienced enough to know that comes with being one of the top players, one of the top strikers.”

Despite the criticism, Kane feels he is in the best form of his career. “All I can do is do my talking on the pitch, like I did tonight,” he said, reinforcing his focus on letting his performances speak for themselves.

Kane also mentioned he has yet to speak with incoming England manager Thomas Tuchel, who also resides in Munich, but anticipates a conversation about his experiences and how the team can improve under the new coach.

“I’m sure we’ll have a conversation on the experiences I’ve had, the good and bad things, and what we can improve,” he added.

The English Premier League (EPL) has announced the official dates for the 2025/26 season, with the campaign set to kick off on Saturday, August 16, 2025, and conclude on Sunday, May 24, 2026.

The schedule, released in a statement titled “Dates for 2025/26 Premier League season confirmed,” also includes significant changes aimed at improving player welfare, particularly during the festive period.

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For the first time, the Premier League has ensured that no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours of each other during the busy Christmas and New Year period.

Additionally, the league confirmed there will be no fixtures on Christmas Eve, addressing long-standing concerns from players and clubs over the demanding festive schedule.

The statement highlighted: “The schedule continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period, with no two rounds taking place within 60 hours of each other.

“This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule.”

The 2025/26 campaign will feature 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds, providing a balanced and evenly distributed calendar for players and fans.

The season’s start date of August 16 ensures players have 83 days of rest following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign—the longest break possible within the calendar constraints.

The season’s end date, May 24, 2026, ensures all fixtures are completed ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, giving players adequate preparation time for the global tournament.

The Premier League emphasized its commitment to prioritizing player welfare while maintaining the competition’s intensity and appeal.

“The start date of August 16 allows for the maximum player rest time available—83 clear days—from the end of the 2024/25 season. The season end date of May 24, 2026, ensures the Premier League season finishes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period. There will be no fixture on December 24, 2025.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has pledged to work closely with stakeholders in the sports sector to develop and commercialise the game of football in Nigeria.

The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., Mele Kyari, made the commitment while receiving a delegation from the National Sports Commission, the International Management Group (IMG) and AfroSport Network at the NNPC Towers on Thursday.

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Addressing the delegation which was led by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Minister of Sports, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, the GCEO said NNPC Ltd. was ready to be part of the initiative to revamp the nation’s football.

“NNPC will be a prime partner in the journey to bring back value to our football, to reshape it, re-engineer it and bring happiness to our people”, Kyari stated.

He expressed delight that the company was identified as a critical partner in the journey of making Nigerian Football work again, stressing that football was a tool of immense value that could bring untold benefits to the Nigerian economy and to the NNPC Ltd. as a company.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Minister of Sports, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, said football was fundamental to the economies of the best footballing countries in the world, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for immediate action to revamp the game.

He said the multiplier effects of football were enormous and could facilitate the revamp of related industries across the value chain.

The Minister noted that IMG which promotes the English Premier League was invited as a technical partner to leverage their experience in the sport.

It could be recalled that NNPC Ltd. once had a football club, the NNPC FC, Warri, which played in the Division One of the then Nigeria National League before it was disbanded in 1989.