- Harry Kane is inspired by Ronaldo, Modric, and Messi while aiming for career longevity
- The Bayern Munich striker remains optimistic about his ability to perform at the highest level for many more years
- Harry Kane will earn his 99th cap for England in the Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland
Harry Kane is set to earn his 99th England cap as the Three Lions face the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, September 7, in the UEFA Nations League.
Despite the milestone, Kane focuses more on moving past the heartbreak of England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain on July 14. The match ended in a 2-1 loss, marking England’s second straight defeat in the Euros finals.
Speaking ahead of the game, Kane, who captains the side, admitted that the memory of the defeat still weighs heavily on him.
“It’s tough whenever you get so close to reaching one of the pinnacles of your career and it’s taken away,” the Bayern Munich striker said.
However, he claims the pain has only fueled his drive. “It makes me even more motivated. It puts the fire in the belly to try and get there. Our task is to get better.” he added.
The England captain, who has excelled individually throughout his career but remains without a major club or international trophy, looks to players like Cristiano Ronaldo for inspiration. Ronaldo, now with 900 career goals and 131 international goals for Portugal, recently scored in their 2-1 win over Croatia in the Nations League.
The Portuguese star’s longevity, along with that of other football icons, inspires Kane to push his own limits.
“I think when you look at players like [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Luka] Modric and [Lionel] Messi, all these players who are playing in their mid to late 30s, that’s the inspiration for me because it shows that you can really play at a high level for a long time, I use those players for motivation and inspiration to be able to do that,” Kane added.
Having recently completed his debut season at Bayern Munich, Kane finished as the top scorer in the Bundesliga, though his achievement was somewhat overshadowed by Bayer Leverkusen ending Bayern's decade-long domestic dominance.
Nonetheless, he remains undeterred in his quest for major trophies, aiming for success in both the 2026 World Cup and future club competitions.
On his future ambitions, Kane stated, “I want to play football for as long as possible and at the highest level for as long as possible.”
6 things you probably did not know about late England manager, Eriksson
Previously TheRadar reported that Sven-Göran Eriksson, the trailblazing Swedish football manager and the first non-Englishman to helm the England national team, passed away on Monday, August 26 at the age of 76.
Celebrated as one of Sweden's finest football managers, Eriksson clinched major trophies in Sweden, Portugal, and Italy before guiding England through three major tournaments in the early 2000s.
