FOr for a long time, Harry Kane didn’t hide his American Dream. The Bayern Munich striker and England captain has reiterated his desire to one day become an NFL kicker. “It’s always on my mind,” confessed the 32-year-old striker. “I know it’s going to take a lot of effort. I don’t expect to come in and start scoring right away. It’s going to take a lot of practice.”
His love of American football began more than a decade ago in 2011 when he watched a documentary about Tom Brady, the legendary quarterback for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, Kane has become a fan of the New England Patriots, maintains friendships with retired legends of the sport Brady and Julian Edelman, and even attended the 2019 Super Bowl victory for Massachusetts in Atlanta.
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His story is not unique. Over the years, several football players have tried their luck in the NFL. Austrian Toni Fritsch was discovered by the Dallas Cowboys and led the way in the 1970s, even winning a Super Bowl. He was followed by names like Chris Bahr, Obed Ariri, Josh Lambo and Brandon Aubrey, all of whom had soccer pasts and transitioned to American football kickers.
The connection between the two sports was born in the 1960s thanks to Pete Gogolak, who pioneered the so-called “soccer-style kick,” which revolutionized the NFL and allowed players trained in European football, or “soccer,” to apply the technique.
Kane believes his experience as a penalty taker (96 of 108 in his career) will give him a psychological advantage. “Anyone can score in practice, but scoring under the pressure of a game is a different story,” he said, comparing taking a penalty in soccer to an NFL kicker’s field goal kick.
Even Dustin Colquitt, who won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, offered to coach him, saying, “If he puts his mind to it, he’s going to do great. He’s got the mentality and the technique. I’d be happy to help him.”
With his contract with Bayern running until 2027, Kane still has plenty of time to realize his ambitions in America. If he ends up transferring, he’ll join a growing list of interesting football players who have swapped the NFL’s round ball for an oval ball.
