In a match that showcased the sheer inevitability of one of football’s greatest marksmen, Harry Kane scored a stunning 23-minute hat-trick coming off the bench as Bayern Munich dismantled VfB Stuttgart 5-0 on Saturday. In an era where “load management” often means quiet matches for star players, Kane turned his restricted minutes into a historic exhibition of finishing, securing his 10th Bundesliga treble and extending Bayern’s lead at the top of the table to 11 points.
The Super-Sub Masterstroke
With a crucial Champions League clash against Sporting CP on the horizon, Bayern manager Vincent Kompany initially opted to rest his talisman, handing a start to Nicolas Jackson. For the first hour at the MHPArena, the game hung in a delicate balance. Bayern led 1-1 through an 11th-minute Konrad Laimer strike, but Stuttgart was far from beaten. The hosts were denied an equalizer by a razor-thin VAR offside call and forced Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig into a world-class save to deny Deniz Undav.
Sensing the game needed to be put to bed, Kompany introduced Kane in the 61st minute. The impact was near-instantaneous. Just five minutes after stepping onto the pitch, Kane gathered a loose ball near the center circle, drove through the heart of the Stuttgart defense, and unleashed a ferocious 128 km/h piledriver from 25 yards. The ball flew past Alexander Nübel before the goalkeeper could even react, marking Kane’s 15th league goal of the season and effectively breaking Stuttgart’s spirit.
A Ruthless Conclusion
As Stuttgart crumbled under the pressure of Bayern’s fresh legs, the goals began to flow with rhythmic precision. After Josip Stanišić added a third, Kane took center stage once more. In the 81st minute, a goalbound shot from Michael Olise was handled on the line by Lorenz Assignon, resulting in a red card and a penalty. Kane stepped up and coolly dispatched the spot-kick, firing low into the corner to make it 4-0.
The hat-trick was completed in the 88th minute. Following an intricate interchange on the wing, Olise delivered a pinpoint cutback that found Kane perfectly positioned in the six-yard box. With a deft flick of his boot, the England captain diverted the ball home to seal the 5-0 rout. In just over 30 minutes of action, Kane had touched the ball fewer times than most defenders, yet he walked off the pitch with the match ball and a Man of the Match trophy.
Record-Breaking 2025
Kane’s performance in Stuttgart was not just a great substitute appearance; it was a statistical milestone. He has now scored 58 goals for club and country in the 2025 calendar year, surpassing his previous personal best of 56 set in 2017. At 32, Kane appears to be entering a “super-prime,” leading the race for the European Golden Shoe ahead of younger rivals like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
| Stat | Performance vs Stuttgart |
| Minutes Played | 29 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Shot Speed (Goal 1) | 128 km/h |
| League Goals 25/26 | 17 |
Export to Sheets
In his post-match interview, Kane was humble about his contribution, noting that “the boys did a great job in the first 60 minutes to wear them down, which allowed us subs to exploit the space.” However, for the rest of the Bundesliga, the message is clear: whether he plays 90 minutes or nine, stopping Harry Kane remains the hardest job in world soccer.