Kane set to become England's most-capped men's player against Croatia
Harry Kane is poised to make his 126th England appearance against Croatia at Wembley, surpassing Peter Shilton's record, with teammates and coaches praising his leadership and longevity.
Harry Kane will make his 126th appearance for England in Thursday's Nations League match against Croatia at Wembley, overtaking Peter Shilton's record of 125 caps won between 1970 and 1990 to become the most-capped man in the national team's history. Kane, who has scored 91 goals in his 125 appearances, played down the personal significance, saying the focus is on the team and that he loves representing the country in the best way possible.
The Bayern Munich striker's England story began in 2015, when the then 21-year-old Tottenham forward scored 79 seconds into his debut against Lithuania. He has since played under five different managers: Roy Hodgson, Sam Allardyce, Gareth Southgate, Lee Carsley and current boss Thomas Tuchel. Southgate handed him the captaincy in 2017, and Kane has captained the side 97 times when starting, more than any other England player.
Tuchel described Thursday as a deserved occasion to celebrate an extraordinary player, while former goalkeeper Joe Hart recalled his early impressions of Kane improving steadily in training and said he is now superhuman. Former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus told BBC Sport that Kane aged but improved, comparing him to red wine, and praised him as a good ambassador for English football at a German club.
Kane has experienced contrasting emotions in an England shirt, including missing a penalty in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat by France and singing with fans after a win over Croatia at a later tournament, which he called one of his favourite moments. He has yet to win a major trophy with England, and questions remain about who will lead the attack when he eventually retires; Kane, 33, said he feels physically great and has no plans to set a retirement date.
Born in London and raised in Chingford, Kane has spoken about watching England on pub screens as a boy and idolising David Beckham, whose Real Madrid shirt was sent to his secondary school. He has also maintained links to his roots, sponsoring Leyton Orient's shirts in 2020 to support frontline workers and feature mental health charity Mind and Haven House Children's Hospice. The article does not include supporters' reactions beyond Kane's own recollections of fans.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
