Harry Kane will make his 126th England appearance against Croatia at Wembley, becoming the nation's most-capped player of all time, and says he has enjoyed "proving people wrong his whole career."
The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker, who recently won the Ballon d'Or, reflected on his early rejection by Arsenal at age eight, difficult loan spells at Norwich and Leicester, and his nerves on first reporting for England duty.
Early setbacks shaped his mentality
Kane said his mindset has been driven by a need to prove doubters wrong from his academy days. "From early academy days proving coaches wrong, proving scouts wrong – it has just been instilled in me. I think if someone tells me I can't do something it just motivates me more to do it," he said.
He acknowledged the lows of his career, particularly the loan spells at Norwich and Leicester, which he said gave him resilience. He also recalled missing a penalty at the World Cup in Qatar, noting he scored the next 30 penalties after changing his technique.
Comfort on the pitch
Kane described feeling nervous at his first England camp, with Wayne Rooney, then captain, being the first to speak to him. "He told me to just be myself and you know it's kind of relaxed here with the team," Kane said. "But I was always confident once I got on the pitch. I felt this is my comfort zone, I know what I can do, I can score goals."
His record-breaking goal haul last season earned him the Ballon d'Or, and he credited his move to Bayern Munich for elevating his career, despite the pressure of the £100 million transfer and expectations to follow Robert Lewandowski.
Pressure at Bayern
Kane said the move made him appreciate European football more and taught him how hard it is to win even in the best team. "I think I maybe under-appreciated how hard it is still to win even when you're in the best team. But yes, now I've won the trophies and I've been in those moments, I feel even more comfortable in those situations," he added.
