"Beyond my wildest dreams" 🤍 | Harry Kane on equaling England's appearance record

Sky Sports Football

Harry Kane on equalling England's appearance record: team honours matter more than personal milestones

This is a post-match interview with Harry Kane on Sky Sports Football. After England's 3-0 win over the Czech Republic and Kane equalling England's appearance record, he discusses milestones, his mentality, staying available and future targets, making clear that team honours matter more than personal records.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWFootballYT Harry Kane sits down after equaling England's appearance record following the their 3-0 victory against the Czech Republic. harrykane kane england ► EFL highlights: https://bit.ly/EFLHighlights2627 ► EFL Cup highlights: https://bit.ly/CarabaoCupHL ► SPFL highlights: https://bit.ly/SPFLHighlights2627 ► Bundesliga highlights: https://bit.ly/BundesligaHighlights2627 ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsfootball / https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportswsl ► X: https://x.com/SkyFootball / https://x.com/SkySportsWSL ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage

Transcript

huge congratulations. Um, thank you. >> Of all the records and all the milestones you've achieved because we know just what playing for England means to you. >> Is this the most special of them all? >> Yeah, I think it's right up there. Um, you know, there's so many milestones throughout throughout our career and you looking back to my England debut and how much of a dream come true that was. I think this is even beyond my wildest dreams, you know. Um, yeah, to be joint now uh at 125 is just an extreme privilege. I love coming to to every England camp. I love playing at every game and uh representing the country in the best way possible. And um yeah, tonight was a special night. So uh as I said before, the game the most important thing was the fit three and the win. It's not about me, it's about the team. But um to help the team achieve it with a couple goals and um a good team performance and and finished the week strong. It's been a yeah, a perfect night for me. >> Typical of you to get two goals and create the other as well, but how much did you hate coming off when you're on a hattick? >> Yeah. You know, it's um yeah, it's one of those things. I think uh Dom's been great all camp as well. And obviously, he's not had a lot of minutes, so I think it's good for him to to get out there and he deserves it for the way he trained. Um yeah, you know me, of course, I want to play every minute possible, but uh it's also about, you know, making sure everyone's fit, everyone's sharp. We have a long season ahead and I think the boss is always cautious of that and I think we've used the squad well in that sense. So, um yeah, of course, I'd have loved to have stayed on, but ultimately a couple goals and and a three-0 win is is all that matters. Harry, congratulations. Um, we've been speaking to some of your coaches in the youth team and academy at Spurs. >> They they all admired your finishing ability and your hard work going after sessions and doing the extra, but they never even they admit they never really saw you coming this far. Did were you always that determined? Did you think you'd get to this level and break these sort of records? >> Uh, I don't know if I thought I'd get to this level. I always had a lot of self-belief. I was always willing to to maybe do more than others um and just push myself. I think everyone um yeah I guess has a has a ceiling and uh I combined you know u my talent that I had with a lot of hard work and self-belief and a lot of dedication and um yeah from the moment you know I got my opportunity I was able to to take it and and from that moment it was about never letting it go I think um to reach the highest level on a consistent basis you always got to be hungry you always got to be striving for more I think sometimes you players or people can reach the top and think it's time to to take the foot off the gas and that's when you see um you players maybe fall. For me, it's the opposite. You know, when I'm when I'm at the top is to do even more, find even more improvement. Uh, and that's what I'm doing right now. You know, I'm coming off the back of my best season ever as a as a player. And I've started this season as good as I did last season. So, I'm in a in a good place. And um for me right now, it's just pushing pushing myself and and see how far I can get. >> And if you're talking to young academy players now, is that the advice you'd give to maximize yourself to give to to go the extra mile as much as you can? >> Yeah, I think everyone's situation is different. Everyone has a different pathway. Obviously, mine's totally different to maybe some of the other players who are playing here today. But, uh, I think ultimately there's always going to be ups and downs along uh, any career. Um, there's always going to be times where uh, you have to believe in yourself, where you have to work harder than others when people ain't watching behind the scenes. Um, whether it's practicing, finishing or nutrition or whatever it may be. I think um, yeah, just don't give yourself um, any regrets, I guess. You know, if you do everything and you still don't make it, that's life. That's just uh the brut brutal nature of sport I guess or anything. Um but give yourself the best opportunity and and if you do that you know you can hold your head up high. >> Sam then Jacob >> Harry over here. Um your your 125 caps have come in 11 years was Shortton's took 20 and obviously he had a famous rival. I think you've only missed 28 games in in that in that period. Obviously that's that's a a good record. Have there been times where you've sort of just you've just played anyway played through the pain or have you always been 100%? >> No, for sure there's times I played through the pain. I think every player at some stage plays through through pain or niggles or some sort of uh some sort of injury. I think um you know probably early on in my England career I I missed a few camps with some ankle injuries and um I think the last six years or so I've been um extremely consistent in that in that sense and being available and I think availability is one of the biggest strengths you can have at this level for any coach and um you guys know how much it means to me to to be here and be with the boys and there's been camps where you know sometimes I've not been able to play but I think it's important to to be around and and you know I have I guess attributes as well off the pitch that can help you know the team in a sense. So um yeah I always just think at some stage you know this opportunity ain't going to be here. I'm not going to be around forever and u I still hope that's a long way away but ultimately um of course there's times you're tired or you're you're injured or and but um yeah I know I'll miss it when it's when it's done. So I try and always remind myself that and always trying to make myself available when possible. >> Jake, >> hi Harry. Um you just said that everyone has a ceiling. Do you think that you've reached yours or is you're just going to go keep getting higher and higher? >> I hope not. I hope there's still more to go. Um yeah, I guess only time dictates that where everyone's ceiling is. Right now I still feel like I've got uh room to to improve. I just said I come off the back of my best season ever at 32 years old and um right now I feel you know even in a better place and um yeah isn't just about I guess goals and stats either. I think it's just all round all round play and all round leadership and I feel like those qualities for sure for for sure have got got better over the last few years with me and and even here with England with the captaincy and I think I've improved in in a lot of assets um off the pitch and um yeah ultimately we just have to to wait and see. You know I'm not going to stop. I'm going to keep pushing and see where it takes me and then you know uh maybe in 10 years or so we'll see where that ceiling's at. Sammy >> Harry, you entered the 90s tonight in terms of your goal record and we asked you it last week about edging closer to the 100. How much is that now? Now you're in the 90s in your in your mind and in terms of breaking that barrier, would that mean more to you than the 125 caps tonight? >> It's funny, I asked this question by a few of the staff uh before the game. What would mean more 125 or or the 100 goals? And I said the cap record to begin with. Um I think just because you know to represent your country that many times is an extreme privilege. The 100 goals is maybe uh a more exclusive club and being a striker I think it would be an incredible club to to be a part of but um yeah ultimately I don't know uh obviously I'm getting closer to the 100 now and and it's there being in the 90s and um I try not to think about it too much and it's like I guess being a cricketer in the 90s I think the more you think about the 100 you uh don't always get there but um yeah that's where I'm at. I think if I think too far ahead, it it sometimes is harder to achieve. I'm just going with the flow right now. I'm in a fantastic place. You know, before this camp, I thought it was an important camp for for us and me to uh keep the momentum from a lot of the good stuff we done in the World Cup to start um you know, a new narrative and to start um with a with a good campaign and and I think we've done that and uh yeah, I think that's the most pleasing thing for me. Hi. Um, with all these records you're setting and getting, obviously you're up for another award at the end of the month as well. Are you enjoying these moments where it's your name in the spotlight or is that something you've had to really get used to? Does it still jar a little as well? >> Um, yeah. I'm I'm not too sure. Like I'm very comfortable with my with my name being there. I think it's a consequence of doing a lot of good things. So, I'm proud of the records I achieve. I'm proud to be um, you know, up for the walls like the Ballindor without a doubt. I think any athlete or any footballer I guess wants to to be the best version of themselves and um you know I'm doing that right now and then and all these records and all these um I guess the individual stuff as well is um just representation of uh not just what you guys see and and what I do on the pitch but also what I do off the pitch. It takes a lot of dedication and a lot of time and um yeah that's the most pleasing thing when you you get to acknowledge some of those rewards. Um, I think it's hard in in football, especially the way the seasons are now, how quick they come and and go. It's like just uh almost like a hamster wheel of just uh so you have to try and take the moments in and uh I do try and do that with with the family and um you know, achievements like this tonight is important to acknowledge it. Um but yeah, before I know it, I'll be playing away on Saturday and and being ready for that. So, um, yeah, I think it's important not to get carried away, but for sure, um, accept that you're doing some some good things and and take the the good energy from it. >> Okay, we just got time for two more, which is Kit, then Simon. >> Hi, Harry. [clears throat] Congratulations. Um, you said you're coming off the best season of your career. We know how many goals you've scored for England. The international goal scoring record's 146. Do you think that's something you could be capable of chasing down? >> Again, that's maybe the ceiling we're we're talking about. We'll see how far we can get. Um yeah, what's that? Another 50 50 odd goals. You know, it's an awful long way away right now, but um who knows? You know, I'm in I'm in great shape. I've said before about the some of the players who have played well into the late 30s and still at the highest level and and even 40s now. So, um yeah, it's always, you know, it's it's season by season with me. As long as I feel like I can help the team and be valuable for the team, I'll I'll be around. You know, the moment I feel like I can't help the team, I won't. and and that's just the way I am. So, um yeah, we'll have to see if we can get to 100 first and then uh we'll go from there. >> Thanks. >> Hi, Harry. Congratulations. When we spoke to you before the camp, you were saying about >> you were you were thinking about why English footballers don't get to 160, 170, 180 kind of caps. >> Is that the kind of ceiling that you're looking for here? And also >> all of these individual accolades are incredible, but would you swap it all for that for that silverware with England? >> Oh, yeah, for sure. Without without a doubt. I think I made it clear from early in my England career to win a trophy of England would be the biggest honor of of my career and any any of our career. It's been too long since we we've won it and um yeah, I think the fact that we've been extremely close over this recent period has made it uh even more of a target and and made us want to taste it even more. So, for sure I'd swap all that to to win something with um with England. Um and then what was the first part of your question? you said at the start. >> Yeah. Um yeah, I guess that's a a longer conversation um another day maybe about Yeah. Maybe why you know England England players don't quite reach [snorts] um the higher caps and you know play for for a longer time. Um could be many different factors. Maybe I'll leave you guys to to try and figure that one out. But um yeah, it's an interesting topic because I feel like when when some of the players we've had, some of the greats we've had, um for them not to have maybe been around even longer, uh it's a shame I guess for for us as a national national team. But um yeah, maybe you know with the way we've doing with the improvements we've made and and the records in in uh you know, our major tournament history recently has has helped you know rack up the caps and um you know, you got obviously me equaling it tonight, but I think Pix is in the 90s. I think Jude's in the 60s already and um Deck and other boys who are, you know, really high up there and um yeah, maybe that's a bit on what I said earlier. Everyone wants to to be here and want to be in the squad, in the team.