Bayern’s Kane on trophy hopes, Messi and Ronaldo inspiration

Harry Kane believes he has solely simply reached half-time. It would possibly seem a barely dismissive, nearly self-deprecating evaluation of a profession that is already appear him excel at Tottenham, change into England’s captain and all-time document objective scorer and be a part of Bayern Munich for €100 million ($110m) as their new talismanic No. 9 this summer time.

But Kane judges himself by the very best requirements and towards the sport’s best gamers. Many would buckle below such comparisons, however the striker has actively invited it, spending the final decade aspiring to rival the feats of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the dynamic duopoly on the prime of world soccer for thus lengthy. Ronaldo could now be 38 years previous and Messi 36, however they continue to be Kane’s inspiration after he celebrated his thirtieth birthday again in June.

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“I think of what they’ve done, they are as good in their 30s as they were in their 20s,” Kane instructed ESPN in an unique interview. “Me just turning 30 now, it obviously gives me excitement to know if I keep my body in good shape and keep my mentality right, I could be playing at the highest level for as long as I want to do it.

“Those gamers [Ronaldo and Messi] have set the bar — these and a number of others as effectively — and it simply motivates me and tells me that it is doable. It is nice watching these gamers nonetheless performing, two of the best gamers ever to play our recreation. For me now, it’s nearly the second half of my profession. I’ve had a superb first half; now, can the second half be even higher?”

It will have to go some way to rival what’s come before. Kane ended a 19-year association with Tottenham this summer, departing as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 280 competitive goals. Only Alan Shearer (260) scored more in the Premier League’s history than Kane’s 213. Kane has 59 goals in 86 England games. He looks likely to set a final figure that could last for decades. Yet despite these individual achievements, self-improvement remains his overarching goal. It is what makes him who he is.

“From a extremely younger age, it is simply that dedication to get higher, to all the time push myself to my limits,” he said. “I’ve all the time mentioned to myself I by no means wish to get to retirement age, look again and assume ‘what if I’d simply finished that or what if I’d pushed myself there.’ No matter how good I’ve been or how good the season has been, there’s all the time room to get higher.

“That just comes from maybe a mentality at a young age, good people around me always pushing me to improve and never to rest on what I’ve achieved. That’s just carried forward into my professional life and my life in general. That’s something that will never leave me. Until the day I hang up my boots, I’ll always be pushing for more and always trying to get more out of myself and the teams I’m playing in. That’ll continue.”

The apparent distinction is silverware. Ronaldo turned 30 in February 2015. By that stage, he had gained — amongst a plethora of different prizes — three Premier Leagues, two Champions Leagues, one LaLiga title, and three Ballons d’Or. He would win Euro 2016 with Portugal the next 12 months.

Messi was 30 in June 2017 when he equally achieved a protracted checklist of triumphs that features 4 Champions Leagues, eight LaLiga titles, three Club World Cups, and 5 of his seven Ballons d’Or.

For all his statistical achievements, Kane is but to win a significant honour for membership or nation. One Champions League last, one European Championship last and two League Cup finals all ended with runners-up medals. Although his €100m transfer to Bayern was the product of a want to problem himself in a brand new nation, it additionally represents an opportunity to really feel a “different pressure,” as he beforehand put it, to win silverware.

At Tottenham, there was hope; with Bayern, there’s expectation. Four objectives in 4 Bundesliga video games is an encouraging begin made all of the extra spectacular given the state of flux behind the scenes. Kane sealed his transfer from Spurs on Aug. 12. His spouse, Katie, gave beginning to their fourth baby, Henry, eight days later and on Sept. 3, after his fourth Bayern look, he returned to England for worldwide responsibility.

Consequently, his household is but to maneuver throughout to the continent and he is nonetheless understanding the logistics of working along with his nutritionist and chef, Dan Sargeant, who began serving to Kane nearly a decade in the past, recurrently getting ready meals that the ahead or his associate would then cook dinner.

“A lot has happened in the space of the past four or five weeks, both in professional life and personal life,” he defined. “I started my first Germán lesson in the week, so there’s been a lot of change. Dan is still a part of my team and will always be a part of my team. He has been great for me pretty much for my whole career, so we’ll figure out the best way of doing that — whether it is him just giving me a plan and working with the chefs out here, or finding a way to come out and continue what we’ve been doing.

“These are all of the components off the pitch that I have to nonetheless work out, however for positive Dan remains to be a giant a part of what I’m doing.”

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Kane reflects on his Champions League heartbreak with Spurs

Harry Kane says the pain of having lost in a Champions League final is added motivation to win the trophy with Bayern Munich.

What he continues to do is search for marginal gains. Kane is speaking after becoming a brand ambassador for Skechers, who have developed the boot he now wears for club and country. This and other developments have contributed to a reduction in the persistent ankle injuries that had hampered him in previous seasons, but the ultimate barometer of progress will come in ending that long wait for a trophy.

Bayern are seeking their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title and while that is not quite a foregone conclusion, ultimate judgement will likely come in the Champions League, where the Bavarians began their Group A campaign at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening with a 4-3 win against Manchester United, where Kane scored from the penalty spot.

Harry Kane says he’d love to explore a career as an NFL kicker after he retires from ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/SlC87We1pq

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 31, 2023

“With Tottenham, our goal was to win it yearly,” Kane said. “Maybe from the surface that wasn’t all the time a risk, however in our heads, in our workforce, that was all the time what we needed to do. I do not assume I’ll put together any totally different. Of course, it’s a competitors that the membership made clear they wish to win so for me it’s about going on the market in each recreation I play, give it my finest and attempt to carry out at that stage.”

Kane’s nearest success came in 2019 when Spurs were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the Champions League final, a marginal scoreline that does not reflect how little Tottenham were able to impose themselves on their opponents. The frustration still lingers.

“Whenever you have been near a significant championship, it all the time leaves that fireplace in your stomach to go and get again there and go one step additional,” he said. “It is identical with England because it was with Tottenham in that Champions League last. Of course, they’re heartbreaking losses and losses that in all probability dwell with you for the remainder of your life. But for positive, it offers you motivation to get again there and go one step additional.”

One of those ankle injuries came in the build-up to that game at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. The rumour has long been that Kane wasn’t physically able to give his best in the biggest club game of his life.

“I was totally fit,” he replied. “I know there was a lot of talk around that game and after it but I had plenty of time. I was training within plenty of time to play that final. It is always the case when things don’t quite work out that people look for an excuse or a reason why.

“But we simply bought beat on the day [by a team] that carried out higher than us and that is the truth of it. For me, I had a transparent head and I feel you must respect the supervisor’s determination — I do not assume the supervisor would ever make the choice that wasn’t the correct one for his workforce.”

His quest to go one better with Bayern started against a team he was long linked with joining. In fact, United fans were so confident in the validity of that speculation when Erik ten Hag’s side played Tottenham in April, they sang “Harry Kane, we’ll see you in June.”

“Yeah, I heard it after I was on the pitch,” he said. “But generally followers are singing good issues about me, generally followers are singing unhealthy issues about me. That’s simply the character of soccer. I do not let that in, whether or not it’s good or unhealthy. I simply focus on what I have to do. Man United are a implausible membership, one of many largest golf equipment on the earth. They are going by means of a little bit of a troublesome spell proper now, however you all the time need to watch out towards these groups.”

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Is Harry Kane serious about a future in the NFL?

Harry Kane tells ESPN FC’s James Olley about his NFL aspirations once he’s done with football.

In the final reckoning, United did not seriously pursue a deal for Kane, partly due to a concern Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would refuse to do business with another English club. Kane went as far as to suggest there had been “talks with a number of golf equipment” when addressing media on Tuesday ahead of United’s visit, but later in the day, Levy offered a more surprising revelation at a fans forum event when confirming Spurs included a clause to re-sign him permanently in their agreement with Bayern.

Quite when — if ever — a return to England would arise is unknown, but for now, Kane is focused on acclimatising to life at Bayern while targeting the longevity of Ronaldo and Messi. Ronaldo may now be 38 plying his trade in Saudi Arabia’s fledgling Pro League, but his phenomenal consistency endures: 21 goals in 21 games so far for Al Nassr. Messi, 36, won the World Cup with Argentina last year and is now lighting up Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, registering 11 goals and eight assists in his first 11 matches.

Doubts about the quality in both leagues persist, but the two icons keep delivering, just in the manner Kane strives for. Yet lingering on the horizon is the possibility of a dramatic course correction. Kane’s fondness for the NFL is well-documented and he has on several occasions expressed a vague desire to try his luck as a kicker. It is tempting to imagine he has his career all mapped out.

“I simply take it 12 months by 12 months,” he said. “I nonetheless really feel I’ve bought a great deal of years left to play. Maybe after I get to my late 30s I’ll begin enthusiastic about what I wish to do after soccer a bit additional down the road.

“For now, it is just about enjoying every moment, enjoying being a footballer because it goes so quick. Already, probably being at the highest level for nine years, those years have flown by. So I’m just trying to take it all in year by year, game by game, laying it all out there and delivering my best for the teams that I’m playing for and that’s what I’ll continue to do. I don’t like to get too far ahead of myself.”

But is he severe in regards to the NFL? Would it probably imply curbing his profession as a footballer to provide himself a greater likelihood bodily of lasting the tempo in America?

“A lot of people talk to me about that and of course I’ve always said it is something I’d like to explore at a later date, but I think it all depends on where I’m at in my career, whether I am happy to continue playing football,” he mentioned. “There are a lot of question marks. It is something that is in the back of my mind but it is still a long way away. Again, it is not something I am thinking about right now. Time will tell. In life sometimes things just play out how they are supposed to play out. We’ll see in five, six, seven years where I’m at, where I want to be, what I want to do. I’ll make that decision then.”

After all, the “second half” of Kane’s profession has solely simply begun.