Harry Kane of FC Bayern Munich has spoken about a «difficult moment» in his career, emphasizing the mental strength required to overcome it. He also shared his aspirations for England to finally break their 60-year trophy drought and achieve their second World Cup triumph this summer, following their 1966 victory.
As captain of the Three Lions, Kane told FIFA, «The expectations are high now. When you’ve been in two European Championship finals and played in a World Cup semi-final, people expect you to win next time. We know that, and we have to be prepared for it.»
Reflecting on the desire for England to become World Cup champions, Kane stated, «I know how much every English fan longs for this moment. We all hope to be a part of this history and to etch our names into it. But we also know that there’s still a long way to go. It will require a lot of sacrifice and hard work. And that’s exactly what we’re ready for.»
In 2018, Kane and his teammates were eliminated in the semi-finals by Croatia (1-2 after extra time). In 2022, their campaign ended in the quarter-finals when Kane missed a penalty against France (1-2). «That was a really tough moment in my career personally,» he admitted. «I had to be extremely strong mentally to process that – and I was. In the end, I almost felt like it made me a better player.»
Kane Sees Team Spirit as England’s Major Strength
Kane expressed his immense excitement for his third World Cup. «The fact that we’ve been so close so many times motivates me enormously to get back there and take that one step further,» said Kane, who also experienced Euro finals losses in 2021 (to Italy, 2-3 on penalties) and 2024 (to Spain, 1-2).
He believes that the team spirit, cultivated over years, will be a significant asset for manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Kane noted, «Everyone truly understands each other in the team, everyone is open with each other, and we all know what we’re fighting for.» England is drawn in Group L for the World Cup, facing Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.