England captain Harry Kane confirmed on Friday that he played golf with former US President Donald Trump, describing the experience as “surreal” and praising Trump’s game. The revelation came just before England’s World Cup quarterfinal against Norway, prompting swift backlash on social media.
Kane Confirms Golf Round with Trump
Trump surprised reporters on 6 July by revealing he had previously played golf with Kane, calling the England striker a “great player” and a “good golfer.” When asked about Trump’s comments, Kane confirmed the round took place in Palm Beach, Florida, about 18 months earlier.
“I played all right, to be honest,” Kane said. “Yeah, we played about 18 months ago. He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach, so yeah, when the president invites you somewhere … it was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him and obviously play golf with him.”
Kane’s club side, Bayern Munich, was on a winter break from late December 2024 to early January 2025, suggesting the round occurred before Trump’s second presidency began. Kane, who once told golfpunk.de that he plays to a 3 handicap, praised the 80-year-old Trump’s golf game. “His golf’s pretty good, to be honest with you,” Kane said. “I hope I can play golf as good as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure. So yeah, unique experience but yeah, I was just grateful he invited me down to play.”
Backlash on Social Media
Kane’s confirmation sparked immediate criticism. Writer Musa Okwonga commented, “Bleak, bleak. You don’t just pal around with someone like that.” Political scientist Jules Boykoff, author of Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the Fifa Greed Machine, joked that Kane might have tempted fate by associating with Trump, referencing the president’s attendance at the only NBA Finals game the New York Knicks lost before winning the championship in June. “Harry Kane just begging for the Trump Curse to come a-knocking,” Boykoff wrote.
Other US football fans suggested rival strikers like Kylian Mbappé, who has publicly criticized the French far right, and Norway’s Erling Haaland would have spurned the invitation. “Guess Harry Kane has no issues with being a dumb sports washing tool for authoritarianism,” wrote Murshed Zaheed, a former aide to the late Democratic senator Harry Reid. “Screw this guy. He certainly is no Mbappe. Hope Norway wins.”
Context and Impact
Trump had complimented Kane on social media after England’s 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Mexico on 5 July, writing: “Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!” The following day, Trump revealed the pair had golfed together. “I think Kane is a great player,” Trump said. “I played golf with him and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer. He’s really great.”
England hopes to end 60 years of hurt since winning its first and only World Cup in 1966. The quarterfinal against Norway is a crucial step in that quest, but Kane’s off-field association with Trump has divided opinion among fans and commentators.
