Harry Kane equalled Peter Shilton's England appearance record on Tuesday. His 125th cap came in the 3-0 Nations League victory over the Czech Republic, a match where he scored twice.
Shilton's mark had stood for 36 years, a period spanning the end of his own career and the entirety of Kane's rise from youth-team goalkeeper to national icon. The former goalkeeper was quick to offer his congratulations on social media. "You will go on and beat it in November I am sure of that, and maybe go on and set a record that may never be beaten," Shilton wrote. He also praised Kane's dedication, noting the striker's position is "probably the hardest position to play with goalkeeper just behind it."
From gloves to goals
Kane's journey to this point began in unlikely fashion. As a six-year-old at Ridgeway Rovers, he first volunteered to go in goal during a shooting drill. "And then this woman came up to me and said he's better on the pitch." Once moved outfield, Kane immediately began scoring freely.
That early goalkeeping experience is cited by some as a foundation for his clinical finishing. Alex Welsh, an academy coach at Arsenal where Kane spent time as a youngster, believes it gave him a unique insight. "I am absolutely convinced that is the reason why he is such a clinical striker - he intuitively knows what the goalkeeper doesn't like," Welsh said. "He shoots early when the goalkeeper's not set."
Schoolboy dedication
His school PE teacher, Mark Leadon, remembered an 11-year-old Kane as technically gifted and fiercely determined. "He was also a very good cricketer," Leadon noted, "but he loved football. He was never a prima donna, and he would always put a shift in." Childhood friend Luke Robinson said football was his sole focus. "The only thing on his mind was football," Robinson said. "He loved David Beckham, he came in with the Mohican, everyone was laughing but he loved it."
Kane signed scholarship terms with Tottenham on his 16th birthday in 2009, though he was not an immediate standout. Former Spurs youth coach Alex Inglethorpe admitted that at 13, Kane "probably wasn't even on the podium" among his age group's top prospects.
Record-breaking context
The historic cap arrived during a strong run of form for Gareth Southgate's side. England's last five matches have yielded four wins and just one defeat, a sequence you can review on our standings page. Kane was instrumental in the most recent victories, scoring a brace against the Czechs after also netting twice in the 7-0 demolition of Croatia three days earlier. Jude Bellingham leads the scoring charts this season with seven goals, but Kane remains the nation's all-time top scorer with 89 goals.
England now look ahead to a Nations League rematch with Croatia at home on November 12. Shilton's prediction suggests Kane will break the appearance record outright in that fixture, setting a new standard for future generations to chase.
This story first appeared at BBC Sport Football
