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Harry Kane on records, a future in golf and his World Cup captains' WhatsApp

mirror.co.uk, 13 June 2022, 21:45
Harry Kane is targeting Wayne Rooney's England goalscoring record and ideally would like it over and done with long before the World Cup Harry Kane will lead the England attack vs Hungary at Molineux

Harry Kane keeps his England shirts in pride of place to inspire him to make more history.

And there is a sense of destiny in Kane succeeding Wayne Rooney as England's leading goal scorer as the Tottenham striker is now just three behind.

Three Lions captain Kane, 28, scored his first ever England goal in a 4-0 win over Lithuania in March 2015 after coming on for Rooney, scoring just 79 seconds into his senior debut. The headlines the next day read "Hurry Kane" and, even more fittingly, "Coming To Get Roo" as the Spurs man became an overnight sensation. But Kane also has the shirt from England's win over Switzerland six months later when he was on the pitch and scored the same night Rooney broke Sir Bobby Charlton's record. For a player obsessed with records and sporting achievements and excellence, those little keep sakes and memories drive him to even more success.

"I don't know if it's destiny," said Kane when asked about overtaking Rooney. "Back then, it was a million miles away in terms of his goalscoring record. I remember that night he broke the record playing and scoring in that game as well. I remember how much it meant to him and even for me being a part of it.

"I kept the shirt from that day and had it up in my house, not for any reason, but I guessing maybe looking at that every day gave me a bit of motivation to one day try and achieve that.

"I am close, but I am not there yet. We have still got a few more goals to go. I have been happy with my England career so far, but I still feel like there is room for improvements.

"There is more success that I want to have and for sure that comes more as a team aspect and major tournaments, but I look forward to that challenge."

Kane has started two of the Nations League games so far, came on in the third against Italy on Saturday and will start against Hungary at Molineux. He laughed when someone joked about just needing four goals on Tuesday night. "It would be nice to get it before the summer," he smiled.

For anyone else but Kane, that would be unrealistic. Not for Kane, the England striker not interested in taking a break, he wants to keep going, keep improving and pushing himself further.

Kane has a family holiday booked already but the sportsman in him also persuaded him to interrupt his break to play in the Icons Series, a celebrity golf challenge in the United States.

He is playing off scratch, even harbours an ambition of becoming a golf pro after retiring from football and listed a few of those taking part.

"James Milner is playing, Canelo Alvarez, Michael Phelps from America, Michael Strahan who I'm friends with," said Kane, strangely not naming Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager who tried to sign him last summer and is also taking part.

Kane is much happier this summer than last year when he was unsettled throughout the Euros. But golf still excites him.

"I'm way off what the pros are at, at the moment, I know that for sure," said Kane. "I'm concentrating on football. Golf is a great hobby to have to get away from football - especially during the season as well. That's what I use it for at the moment.

"I'll be abroad for the three weeks. It's a good time to spend some time with the wife and kids - just to get away. But I'm always one to keep on top of my fitness in the gym - I don't think you can lose too much fitness in three weeks anyway."

Kane is also taking his responsibilities as England captain very seriously. A few national captains have set up a WhatsApp group to discuss issues surrounding the Qatar World Cup and, in particular, migrant workers and human rights.

He added: "Christian Eriksen got in touch with me a couple of weeks ago now. Obviously there is Hugo [Lloris], who I am in touch with a lot anyway. So maybe we can do something as a collective. I feel like it will have a bit more stance a bit more power."

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