BERLIN: Harry Kane’s move to Germany has not yet yielded the trophies he craved, but in Berlin on Sunday the England captain could quench his craving for silverware in style by winning Euro 2024. Kane’s strike to bring England level in a dramatic semi-final victory over the Netherlands was his 406th goal for clubs and country. Yet, he is approaching his 31st birthday without a single trophy to his name.

Kane transferred his prolific Premier League form to the Bundesliga with ease last season, scoring 44 times in 45 appearances since joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham for a reported fee of £82 million ($105 million). Yet it still did not result in collective success as Bayer Leverkusen did not taste defeat once in winning a domestic league and cup double, while Bayern bowed out to eventual winners Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.

Kane came off towards the end of the decisive second leg against Madrid with a back injury that hampered the end of his club campaign and rolled into the Euros. He was unusually the target of stinging criticism from former England strikers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer for his labored performances early in the tournament which were symptomatic of a highly-fancied side that failed to shine.

The Three Lions won just one of their opening five matches in Germany in 90 minutes and have needed late goals to come from behind in each of the three knockout rounds against Slovakia, Switzerland and the Dutch. “We’ve had to show unbelievable character, resilience, physical strength, mental strength—we’ve shown it all but there is still one more to go,” said Kane. “It’s been a tough journey but it’s one more. Ninety minutes, 120 minutes, penalties, whatever it takes.”

After Kane hobbled off against the Netherlands 10 minutes from time, it was his replacement Ollie Watkins who smashed in a stoppage-time winner to send England to a first-ever major final on foreign soil. Yet, the prospect of Kane not starting Sunday’s final is unthinkable given his outstanding record. “Unless Harry Kane is injured, he plays. He’s the captain and the record goalscorer. There’s no way you can leave him out,” said Shearer. Wayne Rooney, who Kane surpassed to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, has hailed him as England’s greatest-ever player. — AFP

Kane’s controversial penalty against the Netherlands took him into a share of the lead for the Golden Boot on three goals and made him the top scoring European in major tournament knockout stages of all-time with nine. “He’s leading the team incredibly well, he’s such a positive influence around the camp and guiding young players through everything the squad have had to deal with in the early stages of the tournament,” said Southgate in defense of his skipper. Together captain and coach have marked an era of unparalleled consistency for English football.

In four major tournaments together, Kane and Southgate have never failed to reach the quarter-finals—progressing three times to the semi-finals and now twice to the final. Prior to this run, England had only ever been to one final in winning the 1966 World Cup. Yet, that remains their only-ever taste of tournament success and England must end a 58-year wait for more against a Spanish side that have thrilled on their way through the tougher half of the draw. Kane moved to Germany to end his own personal trophy drought, but, at the end of a season that failed to deliver, he has the chance to lift the one that will matter most to his legacy as an England legend. — AFP