LOPETEGUI TO STAY AS SPAIN COACH TILL ’ 20
London, May 22: Tottenham striker Harry Kane will be England’s captain at the World Cup in Russia, the Football Association announced on Tuesday.
Manager Gareth Southgate has shared the leadership role around since taking over as manager in 2016 but has now settled on Kane for the tournament, which begins next month.
The 24- year- old, who has scored 12 goals in 23 international appearances, was first handed the armband for the qualifier against Scotland last June and has skippered the side on three further occasions.
Southgate, who announced his decision during a team meeting at England’s training base on Monday, said: “Harry has some outstanding personal qualities. He is a meticulous professional and one of the most important things for a captain is that they set the standard every day.
“He has belief and high standards and it is a great message for the team to have a captain who has shown that it is possible to be one of the best in the world over a consistent period of time.”
Southgate and Kane, who burst onto the senior international scene with a goal 79 seconds into his 2015 debut against Lithuania, appeared in a live video posted on England’s Twitter account soon after the official announcement.
“It’s an amazing honour,” said Kane. “Obviously you always dream of playing for England, growing up. To be the captain is that little bit more.
“So excited, obviously excited for the World Cup. I just can’t wait to be there and experience it. To be leading the lads out is going to be special. But for me nothing changes — I’m the same person, the same player, and it’s just about the team. We’ve just got to do what we can and go as far as we can.”
Kane’s Spurs team- mate Eric Dier and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson were seen as the other likeliest candidates for the role.
The standout star in England’s inexperienced squad, Kane will travel to his first World Cup full of confidence after another outstanding season in which he passed the 30- goal mark for club and country for the fourth season in a row.
Kane has netted 45 goals in 52 appearances for Spurs and England in 2017/ 18, missing out on a third consecutive Premier League Golden Boot title to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
His goals fired Spurs to third place in the Premier League, meaning they qualified for the Champions League for the third season in a row.
The retired Wayne Rooney, the dropped Joe Hart and Gary Cahill, who is heading to Russia after a last- minute reprieve, have also captained England under Southgate.
“Of course, Harry will need the support of the other good leaders that we have got around him,” said Southgate.
“You don’t become a top team by just having a good captain with good values because that has got to spread right throughout the group but I think he is the one who is ready to take that challenge on.” Madrid, May 22: Spain coach Julen Lopetegui has extended his contract until 2020 in a pre- World Cup boost for one of the tournament favourites.
“We are going to sign a contract for two additional years,” said the president of the Spanish football federation ( RFEF), Luis Rubiales.
It is a clear sign of confidence from the Spanish federation in the 51- yearold former goalkeeper as he goes into his first major tournament in charge of the side.
“It was very simple because we have immense admiration and respect for Julen and all his team,” added Rubiales.
“He is the best person to lead the national team.”
The new deal takes Lopetegui through to the next European Championships, which will be held across the continent in 2020.
The contract renewal comes a day after Lopetegui announced his 23- man squad for the World Cup.
Lopetegui was appointed to the role in the wake of Spain’s poor showing at Euro 2016 in France, when they were eliminated in the last 16.
He succeeded Vicente del Bosque, who had overseen Spain’s triumphs at the 2010 Cup and Euro 2012 but had also been in charge for the disappointing group stage exit at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
La Roja cruised through qualifying for this year’s World Cup in Russia, with nine wins and a draw in 10 games, scoring 36 goals and conceding three.
Spain will face Portugal, Iran and Morocco in Group B at the World Cup, beginning their campaign against their Iberian neighbours in Sochi on June 15.