HARRY’S MESSAGE:
HARRY Kane is desperate to keep the nation’s World Cup party going by firing England to victory in the quarter final against Sweden today.
The England captain, 24, said watching videos of the Three Lions supporters’ celebrations back home was a huge boost for the team.
Speaking in the Samara Arena on the eve of the big match, he said: “It is massive for us seeing the videos of fans celebrating on social media.
“I was one of those fans not so long ago, having drink thrown over me and jumping around, going wild.
“We want to make the country proud. We are bringing the whole country together. We want more.”
And the tournament’s top scorer, with six goals in three matches, spoke of his pride in his team-mates after they laid to rest so many of the demons of past tournaments. He said: “They are just like family really. We have spent a lot of time together.
“We all get on very well. I have spoken before about that togetherness and trust.
“I look at them as my brothers, and I know they look at me just the same.
“We would do anything for each other, and that will get us through.”
Asked about the dramatic defeat of Colombia on penalties in the last round – our first shootout victory at a World Cup – he added: “Those kind of games make you stronger. We have that in the bank now.
“After the game we could see the joy on each other’s faces – that feeling that we had worked hard and come through, it makes us even more proud of each other.
“That feeling was amazing, and we are hungry for more. If we go to extra time, penalties, we will all be ready.”
England trained in pouring rain in Repino before making the 881-mile
journey to join up to 5,000 England fans taking in the sun and beaches of Samara in south-west Russia yesterday.
Gareth Southgate’s team have already made history here with their first knockout victory in 12 years, the first penalty shootout win, and the highest number of goals in a match.
“But since 1990, we have not been in a World Cup semi-final,” said Kane. “We want to do that.”
Some fans are getting to today’s match in style, but at considerable expense. Private jet firm Air Charter Service is flying more than 600 fans to the game –both from the UK and those already here in Russia.
For an England fan to book one of its 12-seater Challenger 605 planes for all group matches, plus the knockout games, it would cost £140,000.
A flight home would be £24,000, based on a similar sized aircraft, said the firm’s spokesman Matt Purton.
One couple spent £10,000 on coming to the quarter final. Sarah McDonnell, originally from Henley, Oxon, and Steven Bell, from Belfast, have flown in from their home in Hong Kong. Steven, 37, said: “It’s been worth every penny. We don’t regret it at all. “It’s been fantastic and we can’t wait for the game. We got our tickets via contacts in China.” Sarah, 30, added: “We think England can win and go all the way.” Meanwhile, Chris Salmon, 42, a chartered accountant from Potters Bar, Herts, has managed to get a ticket for Wednesday’s semi-final in Moscow – via the dating app Tinder. While in the capital he had chatted to Mexican fans who had tickets for that match but were not willing to sell at the time. Since he arrived in Samara, one fan got in touch keen to offload their ticket. However, he had no way of getting back to Moscow at short notice to collect it – until he came up with the idea of getting a Tinder date to get it from him.
The divorcee has been using the app to meet Russian women.
Chris said: “I’ve been out here since our first game in Volgograd.
“I didn’t know how to collect the ticket. So I went on Tinder looking for a date in Moscow. It turns out, by luck, she is a public prosecutor.
“I didn’t want to use her just to get the ticket. I have a date with her on Wednesday lunchtime and she’ll give me the ticket then.
“She’s already picked it up off the Mexicans. She sent me a photo. I am definitely buying her lunch.”
Today’s match will be played in 26.6C heat. It kicks off 6pm local time and 3pm in the UK.