‘I’ve had to prove people wrong’: Kane still striving before record England cap

Harry Kane says he still feels a pressure to prove his worth, even as he prepares to become England's most capped men's player. The captain will make his 126th appearance against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday night, moving him ahead of Peter Shilton on the all-time list.

Kane is England's record goalscorer with 91, comfortably clear of Wayne Rooney, who retired with 53. He will be presented with a memento of his historic cap by Shilton before kick-off against Croatia.

Shilton has held the record since 1990 when he finished his 20-year career. Kane's achievement of winning the Ballon d'Or last month will also be recognised during the match.

Proving doubters wrong

The 33-year-old Kane is conscious that two of his younger England teammates have won a significant number of caps. Declan Rice has 80 at the age of 27; Jude Bellingham 60 at 23.

Kane has been doubted at numerous points of his career, starting when he was released by Arsenal as an eight-year-old. He had difficult loans from Tottenham to Norwich and Leicester in 2012-13 and there were the one-season wonder jibes after his breakthrough campaign for Spurs and England in 2014-15.

Kane has been ridiculed for setting lofty targets. Such as in 2017 when he said he wanted to replicate the numbers of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. When he stated his ambition to win the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot. Or when he stood on the verge of his 100th England cap in September 2024 with 66 goals and said he wanted to score 100.

Driving mentality

There were questions about his place in the team after Euro 2024 when his performances were underwhelming and he was substituted in the final. Every time, he answered back.

Kane brought up surely the lowest individual moment of his England career – the penalty miss against France in the 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat in 2022.

That was really tough but again it was the way I bounced back, he said. And even the fact I scored the next 30 penalties of my career. I changed the technique a little bit and it made me improve. There have been a lot of low points but maybe they are things that have helped me get to where I am now.