Harry Kane will be reliving a ‘childhood dream’ and insists now is the time for England to qualify for the World Cup.
England captain Kane said his special memory was watching David Beckham score the winning penalty against Argentina in 2002. And now Kane is set to break Wayne Rooney’s record of 120 caps for an outfield player in the biggest game of his life against England’s arch-rivals.
But Kane strongly believes it is England’s turn to claim glory after losing in the 2018 semi-finals, missing out four years ago and losing back-to-back Euro finals.
Bayern Munich superstar Kane told ITV: “To be successful, you have to knock on doors and be there a lot.
“And it’s not always that simple. We want to win Euro 2018 or 2021. But it doesn’t always work out like that. But you have to be there consistently.”
“All of a sudden, it’s your turn. That’s how we have to feel going into these games.”
And when asked if he felt that way right now, Kane added: “I certainly do.”
Kane is already England’s record goalscorer. Now he’s about to make more history and play the biggest game of his life. He grew up admiring Beckham and still cherishes the moment against Argentina as his favorite.
His heroics in particular had reached their lowest point four years earlier, when he was sent off against Argentina in 1998.
When asked about a standout moment, Kane said: “Actually, it was Beckham’s penalty. I think the red shirt, the yellow armband. And we all knew what Beckham went through against Argentina, that kind of redemption story of scoring that penalty, his celebration.”
David Beckham scores the winning penalty against Argentina in 2002 (Image: Getty Images)
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“He’s pulling his shirt and his face. Yeah, I think that’s one of my favorite memories of England. If you asked me before I played for Argentina, I think that’s always one of my favorite memories. Beckham was a big idol of mine, so that memory definitely stands out.”
“It’s a great opportunity to play against one of the best teams right now. To play against the reigning world champions in the semi-finals of the World Cup. In this moment, I remember when I was a kid, I had dreams and what it was like to play in these games.”
“And yeah, this couldn’t be bigger. So I’m really looking forward to this week. I think it’s going to be a special game. And what a tough, tough team we’re playing against. But I hope it brings out the best in us.”
“So is the history, that’s all part of it. And that’s what you talk about about fan involvement. But from a player standpoint, it’s us they’re playing against. They’re a great team that’s smart, tactical, knows how to buy fouls, knows how to slow the game down. Just like a lot of teams you’ve played against throughout your career.”
England are just two wins away from ending a 60-year wound.
“So it’s England versus Argentina. In the semi-finals of the World Cup, it’s two great nations facing off against two greats. Well, the rest is just a piece of the cake for us.
“We are focused and we prepare for every game, every moment, and this game is no exception. And most importantly, we push ourselves to succeed on this stage.”
Kane is also relishing the chance to surpass Rooney as England’s most capped outfielder. This is yet another record for England’s all-time World Cup scoring record.
“The most capped player in the outfield. Yeah, another one. Another special player. See you again. It’s very hard to process all this. I think in a tournament situation beyond some of the names I know, obviously starting with Beckham’s 115 and now going over Waza’s 120.”
“The England legends, the England greats you know, you probably won’t fully realize that you’re among those names until you retire. But yeah, I’m not thinking about playing these games at all because it’s all about the team. It’s all about getting to the final.”
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