Last week, the greatest English striker of all time, Harry Kane, won the most prestigious award for a footballer, the Ballon d’Or. I have to say, I am delighted for him. When he first started his professional career, I don’t think there was any indication that he was destined for success.
Only the heroes of ’66 are entitled to rival Harry Kane
I remember when he came on loan to my team, Leicester, in 2013. Aged 19, he was fairly unremarkable. He made thirteen appearances after joining in January, and eight of them were from the bench. He managed two goals. When Leicester did not make the move permanent in the summer, there were not many of us who were disappointed. How were we to know that very soon he would break into the Tottenham first team and score 21 goals in the 2014/15 Premier League season? He certainly showed us Leicester fans on Boxing Day of that season when, during his first return, he found the net within the opening minute. I distinctly remember him running over to the section of the ground where I was sitting and shushing the crowd.
Aside from this unsportsmanlike gesture, Harry Kane exemplifies the best of England. Whilst I am always pleased to see English players win awards, I am especially glad to see Harry Kane honoured on the world stage. Both on and off the pitch, he is entirely unassuming. Whilst, like any great attacker, he has a great highlight reel, the vast majority of his goals simply involve him doing the basics well with an incredibly high level of consistency. He lacks flair, arrogance or any desire to be in the limelight.
Like a true Englishman, we know very little of his personal life. He has never been drawn into the glamour of stardom and remains married to his childhood sweetheart. He also abstains from alcohol during the football season, which is advice I would quite like him to share with the English cricket team.
This is a man who truly understands what it is that his country expects of him: to be nothing more than a footballer. The country might have become enthralled with the celebrity of David Beckham, but he remains equally famous in England for his free kick against Greece and his red card against Argentina. Harry Kane might still not have managed to deliver a victory in a major tournament for England, but as captain he’s got us a lot closer than anyone since 1966, and often single-handedly.
Earlier in his career, I think his reticence to speak and his calmness at press conferences were taken as signs that he had little to say and signalled a lack of passion. This is, of course, untrue and was proven best this past summer. Captain Kane gave us one of the most passionate post-match interviews I have ever seen following the 3–2 win over Mexico, coincidentally also the greatest England performance I have ever seen.
The pride and passion that he exuded were made even more powerful by the fact that he delivered them despite being on the verge of completely losing his voice. The man who previously appeared to have little to say was now shouting his words despite his body’s desperate pleas for him to stop. It is so much more powerful when one does not overhype and speak in eulogies all the time, and then lets it all out after a performance that truly deserves it.
He is the greatest English striker of all time. He has the stats to back it up. At the time of writing, he has 91 goals for England, miles ahead of anyone else, with an incredible strike rate of 0.73. Greatness, though, is about far more than statistics. A whole host of players could be in the running for the best English striker, from Wayne Rooney to Gary Lineker, Michael Owen or Jimmy Greaves. Greatness, though, cannot be measured on paper alone. Greatness goes beyond numbers and requires analysis of moments and character. In this respect, only the heroes of ’66 are entitled to rival Harry Kane.
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