Harry Kane expressed that leading England to a Euro 2024 victory on Sunday would be the pinnacle of a footballer’s career, as he seeks to end his long-standing wait for a trophy.
Despite scoring 406 goals for both club and country in his illustrious career, the England captain has yet to secure any team silverware.
This could all change in Berlin this weekend if Kane leads England to their first major tournament triumph in 58 years, clinching the European championship for the first time.
“It’s no secret that I haven’t won a team trophy. Every year that goes by, you’re more motivated and you’re more determined to change that,” Kane stated during a pre-match press conference on Saturday.
“Tomorrow night I have the opportunity to win one of the biggest trophies you could ever win and to make history with my nation.
“I’d swap everything in my career to have a special night and a win tomorrow evening.”
Three years ago, Kane faced disappointment as England lost to Italy on penalties at Wembley in the Euros.
Now, with their first final on foreign soil, the Bayern Munich striker believes the pain of the Euro 2020 defeat will drive England’s hunger for victory.
“It would be, obviously, the most incredible feeling as a professional footballer you can get and I’m sure also for the fans, to have that moment in history and to be able to celebrate, that would be something very special,” Kane added.
“We’ve been here before and it was a tough finish in the last Euro. So there’s that extra hunger and fire in the belly to make sure this one goes our way.”
The journey to Berlin has been markedly different for the two finalists. Spain has dominated the tournament, eliminating hosts Germany, as well as France, Italy, and Croatia, becoming the first team to win all six of their initial matches at the Euros.
Conversely, England has had to claw their way back in each of the knockout rounds against Slovakia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, often falling short of the full potential of their talented squad.
Kane, however, believes England’s ability to win through late goals and a penalty shootout against Switzerland in the quarter-finals has strengthened their resolve and belief.
“You have to have a belief you can win it otherwise there’s no point in being in the tournament, but I think that belief has grown as we’ve gone through the tournament,” he said.
“What we’ve been through with the late goals and the penalty shootout and all that stuff builds resilience and builds belief.”
