Kane targets biggest team prizes ahead of record-breaking England cap

Harry Kane will become England’s record appearance maker on Thursday night – but the Ballon d’Or winner now has his sights set on the biggest team trophies in football. 

England captain Kane will win his 126th cap for his country against Croatia in the Nations League at Wembley. The landmark moment comes just weeks after he was crowned the best player in the world.

But while the striker has ended his long wait for team glory with back-to-back Bundesliga titles at Bayern Munich, as well as a German Cup, he is now eager to kick on again and land the most prestigious prizes for club and country.

“To win a team trophy with England, a major trophy, is my biggest dream,” he said in a press conference on Wednesday when asked what comes next for him. “That’s always been my biggest dream, to win a European Championship or a World Cup, or both, hopefully, but I know how difficult that is. Extremely motivated to do that.

“Individual accolades are incredible and things I’m proud of but ultimately they’re a consequence of trying to make the team better and trying to win something with the team.

“With Bayern Munich, it’s trying to win the Champions League. There are many trophies I haven’t won and that’s what motivates me.

“I’m surrounded by great teams with both club and country so hopefully it’s an exciting time ahead.”

In recent years, Kane has been able to shake off his reputation as a top player who didn’t succeed on the big stage. He hopes that in the second half of his career he will be able to completely change the narrative about his time in the game, having gone 10 full seasons in the first team at Tottenham without lifting silverware.

However, he also recognises the difficult defeats helped propel him into becoming the player he is today.

“It was tough in those moments when you feel you’re performing well and putting up great numbers but not winning the team trophies which is ultimately what you’re playing for,” he said.

“My situation was quite unique in that sense, I don’t know if there has been another player like that who hasn’t won for so long.

“If anything, it made me even more hungry. Year after year, going into the season without having won one made me motivated to do that and pushed me to another level that I might not have reached if I’d won early in my career.

“Once I won the first trophy at Bayern, it was a weight off the shoulders in terms of a talking point in interviews and press conferences. It helped me relax and feel more free without thinking too much and having that extra pressure.

“I’m in a sweet spot of my career where I’ve won many trophies in the last couple of years and hopefully loads more to go. Hopefully by the end of my career, I’ll have 20+ trophies and those first 10 years might not be spoken about as much.

“What I achieved in those 10 years years and here at Tottenham, getting to the Champions League final, it doesn’t mean nothing – it was a incredible step the club took.”

Tuchel: ‘Unique’ Kane will build on his records

Paying tribute to his captain, England boss Thomas Tuchel says he anticipates a “beautiful occasion” at Wembley on Thursday – but says Kane also has a job to do.

“It’s always nice if things are proven in sports – he has his prizes and records, he will build on these records, score more goals and get more games,” said Tuchel.

“He will start for us and as captain. It’s a big occasion to present the Ballon d’Or trophy to our fans and have it embedded in the same day he gets his all-time record for 126 matches, it’s a beautiful occasion.

“It’s a match that matters a lot to us, it’s not a friendly. It’s on Harry to digest it as quickly as possible. There will be a lot of praise and emotions before kick-off then we need him in the best shape to win the match for us.”

Tuchel praised Kane’s “unique” skillset as what has set him apart from other players in the past year.

Asked if there is another striker who can do what Kane does, Tuchel said: “Maybe not at the moment. Everyone plays differently. On the very highest level, Lionel Messi developed a completely new style of No 9 at Barcelona and dropped everywhere.

“But he was more of a dribbler and accelerator from these spaces, Harry is more a passer and an accelerator through his passing range. Everyone is different. Harry is quite unique in the way he does it.

“It’s not the only thing, he’s also in and around the box and you still want the ball to drop to him if it’s a one or two-touch finish. He’s the one who is clinical and finish on the very highest level.

“That’s why he got the biggest individual award in the game because he’s a unique player at the moment.”

England fixtures

• Thursday November 12: England vs Croatia, 7.45pm kick-off
• Sunday November 15: Spain vs England, 7.45pm kick-off

The England squad

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)

Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), James Hill (Bournemouth), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Jarrell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter Milan), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Ben White (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), James Garner (Everton), Josh King (Fulham), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Declan Rice (Arsenal).

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea).

Follow England vs Croatia with the Sky Sports website and app on Thursday; kick-off 7.45pm.

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com