AS GOOD AS GOLD
Kane bags the World Cup top-scorer award and says: I’m extremely proud. I wanted to prove I could do it on this stage
HARRY KANE says he has proved he is world class after winning the Golden Boot.
The England captain led the scoring charts in Russia, after netting six goals and outgunning the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and (below) Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite struggling in his last two games, Kane insists he has had a tournament to be proud of and also maintained he will be ready for Tottenham’s first game of the season at Newcastle on August 11.
He said: “I said before coming into this tournament, I wanted to prove I could do it on these stages. I said the Euros were disappointing. If anything, I wanted to prove to myself I could score at this level.
“I’ve scored at every other level and it was important I did that. I’m extremely proud and I’m sure I’ll look back in a few weeks’ time and take all these experiences in.
“It’s hard to do that now because we are still disappointed from Croatia and Belgium. But I’ll look back and be extremely proud.
“It’s been a fantastic campaign for me personally, and the team as well. It will be something I’m very proud of if I do win the Golden Boot.
“But there’s still stuff I can improve on. There have been games in this tournament when I could have done better, but that’s part of the learning curve. Not many people get to say they’ve won a Golden Boot at a World Cup. It will go with the other two from the Premier League. It’s a big achievement.”
Kane decided not to stay for the final or the Golden Boot presentation, and was keeping his fingers crossed no one caught him with a goal rush in the final, having seen off Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku who finished with four goals.
Before yesterday’s final he added: “I’m sure FIFA will send it to me in a nice secure package. I’m going home hoping the final is 0-0 and someone wins on penalties.”
Kane – whose critics point out his six goals mainly came from penalties or setpieces – looked tired against Croatia and Belgium. With the Premier League kick-off less than a month away, it must be a worry for Tottenham.
But the Three Lions striker insisted he doesn’t need an extended break or to miss the start of the campaign.
Kane said: “I’ve had a couple of chances I feel I could have done better with, especially in the semi-final, but that’s part of being a striker.
“You are going to miss some, you are going to score some. Set plays are a big part of the game, so if I score every goal from a set play then I’m not too bothered.
“I will hopefully be back for the first game for Spurs and try to score in August this year! I want to be playing in four weeks’ time. We’ll have to talk to the gaffer at Spurs. It will be a couple of weeks off.
“Physically, this has been our pre-season. But the most important thing is the mental side.
“If we want to be fit for the first game, we have to keep on top of it. Try to rest mentally as much as possible. That’s part of it.
“It’s about getting away from football really. That’s what we’ve got to try to do. With the season starting so soon, it will be hard, but that’s something we have to deal with.”
Kane, 24, hopes England’s campaign can be a game changer for the national team and they can go from strength to strength under Gareth Southgate. Kane added: “It’s been a long time together and we can be extremely proud of what we’ve achieved.
“The feeling we’ve got is that we can improve and get better. That’s the exciting thing.
“I don’t think we’ve understood what’s gone on because we’ve been in a bubble and been focused on the next game every time.
“But we’ve heard it’s been pretty mad back home. I know a lot of people would have loved this summer and we’ll be talking about it for years. The most important thing is that we’re not waiting 20 years for another one.
“It’s important we take this experience on for the next five, 10 and 15 years.”