It is one of Harry Kane’s most prized possessions: the England debut shirt he donned. The European Championship qualifying match against Lithuania was played at Wembley Stadium on March 27, 2015. The center-forward’s scriptwriters had been active during the season he made his breakthrough at Tottenham, and they never failed to deliver.
Kane, who replaced Wayne Rooney in the 71st minute, took only 79 seconds to score, a header at the far post off Raheem Sterling’s cross. The television cameras cut to Rooney on the sideline, beaming and applauding. He would then sign Kane’s jersey alongside the rest of the team. He wrote, “Well done mate, 1st of many.” Rooney was aware that there would be numerous more.
Forward to Kane’s fourth international appearance, the September qualifier against Switzerland in which he scored his third England goal. He was on the field when Rooney scored his 50th international goal from the penalty spot to surpass Sir Bobby Charlton’s record. Kane was the first player to approach Rooney to celebrate, murmuring something in his ear before embracing him. What was he saying? Congratulations, no doubt. Alternatively: “I’m coming for you.”
It is enjoyable to fantasize. Kane’s pursuit of surpassing Rooney’s eventual total of 53 goals has been characterized by everything that defines him: dedication, determination, composure under duress, and self-confidence.
There have been both memorable highs and lows, with an overall sensation of a hunter reeling in its prey; inexorably, unavoidably.
It has been a question of where and when for some time. Now we know the answer: Harry Kane’s penalty kick in Thursday night’s Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Italy, which was almost implausibly rich in narrative threads.
The 29-year-old may find it difficult to comprehend the immensity of what he has accomplished – Harry Kane, England’s all-time leading scorer, shudder – but the first thing to acknowledge is that he has realized a lifelong ambition. Kane has never concealed the fact that England has been his top priority, despite his affection and respect for Tottenham.
He enjoys looking at photographs of himself and his older brother, Charlie, wearing England shirts as children or recalling how their parents, Pat and Kim, would take them to the Sirloin pub in Chingford, east London, to watch the major tournament matches.
Kane watched nearly all of England’s games at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup in the massive beer garden of the Sirloin, and he imagined that when he grew up, he would be one of the players on the large screen, perhaps the captain like his idol, David Beckham.
Kim, Kane’s mother, stated, “We have always been England fans.” When the lads were younger and England was playing, we would dress up, paint our faces, and go to the local pub to watch the game.
It was always a special occasion to celebrate England events with loved ones. There were also numerous tears!”
Kane has set the old place alight with his tournament goals, which account for a healthy portion of his record return – 12 to be exact, beginning with the six that won him the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup, followed by the four at Euro 2020, all of which came in the knockout rounds, and then the two at the 2022 World Cup, also in the knockout phase.
It is noteworthy that 33 of Kane’s goals have come in qualification matches, while only six have come in friendlies, with the remaining three coming in the Nations League.
Or that 49 individuals have joined him as commander. In June 2017, when Gareth Southgate handed him the captain’s armband for the first time in a friendly against Scotland, he responded by scoring an equalizer in the 93rd minute. How he has flourished under the burden of responsibility.
Kane lists the game-winning header against Tunisia in the 2018 World Cup’s opening group match as one of his highlights. Southgate was heard shouting “Where’s Harry?” when Harry Maguire glanced at a Kieran Trippier corner kick.
Kane propelled the ball with a lash of his neck muscles as he ascended. Oh, Harry has arrived.
It was undoubtedly surpassed by the goal scored against Germany in the round of 16 of the Euros, the game-winning goal in a 2-0 victory – a monumental triumph given the circumstances. Since defeating West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley, England had won only eight knockout matches at significant tournaments, and only one of those had been against a major football power – the Euro 96 penalty shootout victory over Spain.
Since 1966, England had also lost each of their four knockout football matches against Germany, a harrowing streak. There was a measure of redemption, with Kane serving as a notable redeemer.
The majority of Kane’s career has consisted of proving people wrong and overcoming obstacles, including his infamous release from Arsenal as an eight-year-old, his difficult loans at Norwich and particularly Leicester, and the “one-season wonder” taunts in 2014-15. Even before his game-winning goal against Germany, he was extensively criticized for failing to score during the group stage.
It has been a triumph of both mental fortitude and physical prowess, of hard labor and unrelenting concentration.
During the pre-game warm-up, he repeatedly hit the top corner during shooting exercises. Listen to what his comrades say about him in training, and how he consistently finds the top corner. How he perseveres to continue doing it.
Kane’s qualities appear to be concentrated when he’s standing over the penalty spot. Eighteen of his England goals have come from the penalty spot. He has missed four but converted on the rebound in the Euro semi-final against Denmark. The World Cup semifinal against France last December was his career low.
Frank Lampard is the next most successful England penalty-taker with nine conversions. Rooney scored seven, while Charlton scored three. Given what Kane endured against France, it was inevitable that his record-breaking goal would be a penalty.
Some are snobbish about Kane’s penalty count, as if they don’t matter or aren’t a real nerve test. But did they complain when Kane converted from the penalty spot to put England up 1-0 against Colombia in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup?
Kane misfired against France, an error that, as he has suggested, will haunt him eternally. You suspect that only a tournament victory with England could rectify the situation. The individual history is distinct.
